


Reception Inception

by POT



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Awkwardness, F/M, Friendship, Interspecies, Interspecies Romance, Love, Mating Cycles/In Heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-06-07 17:50:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 79,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6817864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/POT/pseuds/POT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a wedding in Bunnnyburrow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Listen

**Author's Note:**

> I have never written anything for this website but if you know me and my nonsense on tumblr and DA you're in for a real treat. I have a comic that features Amy Rose in heat so why not stick with what I know and do the same for Judy? Sorry if it sucks

“Are you sure this is alright?”

This was maybe about the 10th or 11th time Nick had asked her on the drive to her hometown of Bunnyburrow. But with all the patience in the world she just turned and looked at him in the passenger seat and smiled.

“Of course it is, your name was on the invitation too. Now let’s get out there. I’m just as anxious as you are. I haven’t been home in so long.”

They had just arrived to her family’s farm where months before an invitation to her sister’s wedding’s landed in her tiny apartment in Zootopia. A triple wedding. It wasn’t uncommon in large families like hers to share important days like this. It made more sense and saved all families involved an insurmountable amount of money.

Judy’s younger sisters by only one litter, Kelly, Kim and Katherine were due to be married by the end of the day as long as everything went according to plan and as long as the weather behaved. But it was a spring wedding so the air was gentle and the heat of summer was far off. Nick was thankful for this for he already felt overheated due to his nerves.

Nick had of course met most of her family before back in the city. And that was fair and that was fine because they were on his turf and he was comfortable. But he was a city boy and he knew county folk did things differently. He dove into his hidden memories of lessons in manners and by God he prayed he could control his quick witted mouth in front of her parents.

The wedding was in an hour or two so they arrived already dressed. Judy was wearing a white tunic shirt with a teal flowing cardigan. The tunic could have been a dress alone but she wore a dark pair of leggings underneath it. On top of her head she adorned her ears with a flower crown of fake daisies. Nick’s outfit consisted of an almost black pair of blue jeans that he had tucked his powder blue button down dress shirt into. To give himself what he considered a ‘Nick flare,’ he topped it all off with a white blazer.

He sat in his seat thinking too hard and he knew that the other aspect bothering him was that he was indeed a fox and he knew that alone would make certain animals uneasy. Especially the hundreds of prey they were about to be surrounded by. Her family of course would be okay. They had met him, talked with him and seen how good of a friend he was to their Judy.

But the other families invited might not accept him.

Nick prepared himself for the sneers and the fear scent that would exude from their pores when they saw him. All in all it made him nervous that anything thing he did, even a sneeze brought on by the pollen in the air, would trip their internal alarms and he would have to make a retreat back to their car.

This is why his paw hesitated on the door handle when they finally parked in front of her childhood home.

Judy looked at Nick and because of her impressive ears she could hear the rapid fluctuations of his pulse and heartbeat. With all they had been through and how long they had known one another she knew what he was feeling. He couldn’t smirk at her and pretend to be okay, she would always know.

Like the time way back at the beginning of their partnership when one of their late night discussions turned to more personal stories of his teenage romping sessions with first crushes and first heartbreaks. He had asked her coyly if she had found any suitors while he had been gone at the police academy and before she could answer, the pounding of his heart flooded her ears and stirred something inside her. 

As soon as she answered him with a ‘no’ his heart rate slowly returned to its normal speed.

This is why she was a good cop. She could literally hear when someone was lying through their teeth during an investigation but right now it allowed her to read her partner, her best friend.  
Judy slowly reached out to grasp his paw closest to her and gave it a gentle squeeze. He in return flipped his over so that their palms smothered against each other as his larger paw captured hers. She waited until his heart followed her own rhythm before she continued.

“How about I make you a deal, we get through the ceremony and at least an hour of the reception. If you’re still feeling anxious I’ll take you to the blueberry patches and let you pick as many as you want straight from the source.” It’s all she could say to ease his stress because leaving was out of the question. She had promised her parents they would at least stay two nights in there home.

Nick closed his eyes joyfully at the prospect but still replied snidely, “You mean if everyone else is still feeling anxious about the big bad fox at a bunny wedding?”

That was a Nick Wilde ‘the con’ answer, not the Nick Wilde a decorated police officer who saved her life countless times answer. Her stomach lurched at how much he was concerned for the well being of others even if it meant caring about people with prejudices of predators. She understood it only came from his wanting to protect and keep the peace but it still hurt her to see him struggle.

“Well then you can just hold my paw okay? No one will bother you that way I promise.”

He had been mindlessly stroking her soft fur covered palm with his clawed thumb but when she said that he cleared his throat and let go and fixed an imaginary crease on the sleeve of his blazer.

“Oh sure let’s bring a predator to a prey wedding then have the local hero back home from her exciting life as a cop in Zootopia hold his hand the whole time. I don’t think that’s the message we should send to these animals.”

When he said things like that it confused Judy and filled her with doubt. He had never actually confessed to wanting to be with her but she was so sure by the pounding of his heart that they shared the same feelings for each other. She was starting to think maybe she had gotten it all wrong and she was making it all up because it’s what she so desperately wanted to happen.

There were sometimes she wanted to push all boundaries aside and kiss him…amongst other things. But his heart screamed one thing while his mouth projected another. And she didn’t want to make a move and ruin their friendship. For Judy it didn’t matter that they were different.

You can’t help who you fall in love with.

And although she never imagined she would love a fox, Judy had never seen an interspecies relationship in Bunny Burrow but in Zootopia it was slowly becoming a more accepted aspect of life evolving. She just wasn’t willing to put herself at risk if the signs she got from him were all wrong. Maybe he just wanted to be her friend and she would have to accept it.

She set her paws on the steering wheel and retorted, “You can’t let them see that they get to you. Remember that? How about this too alright? You can wear your aviator sunglasses so that when you notice someone being rude you can look at them and all they’ll see is their reflection and how stupid they look.”

He chuckled, “I was going to do that anyway. I like making people feel dumb.”

They shared a laugh and a movement at the front door caught his eye and he noticed someone coming out of the house to greet them.

It was her mother and he made a motion with his snout so that Judy would look in her direction. Her mother’s face brightened up and she began strolling to their car.

The car itself was a small rental, nothing fancy, just big enough to hold their luggage and all the gifts they had brought for newlyweds. Taking the train would have been a nightmare with all the extra things they had to bring. 

Judy was first to hop out and meet her mom by the front of the vehicle. They were still hugging when he sauntered out of the car to join them. He watched how her mother instinctively rubbed her chin on Judy’s cheek leaving an overwhelmingly maternal scent that was reserved for young kits. 

Scent marking wasn’t a new concept to him because all animals did their own version but the last time her family visited and she did that to her Judy had to explain it was something bunnies did in order to tell their children apart. It came quite in handy when they started school with other families so that no child went home to the wrong house!

Judy also had to explain how much it embarrassed her because grown bunnies didn’t need their mommies scent all over them mixing with their own or their mates.

That’s when he reminded Judy that she didn’t have a mate. He was right but that didn’t mean she couldn’t pout about it.

“Mom.” Judy said breaking away from her gently, “I asked you to stop doing that. No one takes me seriously when you do this.” She was rubbing her cheek trying to get the smell off but the damage was done.

“I can’t help it. I’m losing three daughters today and it’s making me a little crazy. And besides I haven’t seen you in months.”  
Bonnie, Judy’s mom, ignored her further protests and turned towards Nick and gave him a quick hug and her face took a stern turn. “Now I thought I told you that you were welcome at our house whenever you like. It’s a shame the only time you come to visit is during a wedding. I won’t have time to show you farm or anything.”

The guilt contorted his face and he sheepishly shrugged but how could he explain to this seasoned bunny that he was afraid of scaring a whole town filled with country bumpkins.

“I’m sorry ma’am but,”

“Oh mom you know we’re busy with work.” Judy interrupted. She feared Nick was getting uncomfortable and wanted to save him like any good partner would. Bonnie nodded but couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes at the ‘work’ bit. Nothing would make her comfortable with the fact that her daughter’s desired profession put her in harm’s way.

Judy decided to distract her mother from another job lecture and said, “So, the K girls are getting married? I guess that’s not hard to believe, they were always doing things together.”  
The two woman shared a knowing smile but Nick asked, “K girls?” His eyebrow rose in confusion.

Bonnie laughed politely, “It was a trick I learned from my mother. With every litter just change the first letter to keep your kittens organized. Judy was born with the J’s, Judy Jack John and so on. My babies getting married today are my K girls. With how many children we have had it has been a blessing!”

He made and ‘O’ shape with his mouth and nodded finally understanding.

And Bonnie, as all mothers know how to do, ended that part of their conversation in embarrassing Judy by telling her “When it’s your turn Judy you’ll be sure to remember that.”  
Nick quickly looked back at Judy to see her reaction but she didn’t respond.

Judy only flushed and he swore her scent wavered from being her normal honey earth tone to almost smelling as if she were ready to rut. He had been her friend for a long time now and because she was a bunny it happened frequently for her. He swallowed dryly and turned away like he was a part of something he wasn’t supposed to see. Judy’s scent made him weak and confrontational which is why he bought her perfume once. Which now he noticed she neglected to wear.

Scents on animals were their tell all. An invisible introduction to who they were and how their life was and if they were single or looking or ready to settle down and start a family. And because of his keen sense of smell her scent was not hidden to him. So he trained his eyes to the far off horizon and rows and rows of carrots hoping he was mistaken.

“Why don’t you both grab your things and head inside? The other guests will be arriving soon and there is still so much to do. Judy you can help me in the kitchen and Nick why don’t you go out back and help the boys put up the last tent?”

She didn’t wait for an answer. She only turned around and went back in the house.

Judy stood there almost stunned but the clang of the screen door closing behind her mother snapped her back into focus and she went to the trunk of the car and opened it. Nick followed her and began to retrieve the three large gifts and their bags. 

They both reached for her suitcase at the same time and bumped paws. Judy swatted him away and said, “I can carry it, you have everything else after all.” He agreed and took a step back as she closed the trunk and made her way to her childhood home.

Nick trailed behind her and through the front door which led them into a larger family room. 

The house was large. It had to be to accommodate for the amount of bunnies and the décor was exactly what he imagined a farm house would look like. He smiled and Bonnie yelled from the kitchen, “You can put your things in the guest room Nick, Judy show him where that is would you please?”

Judy led him to a room down the hall and opened the door. He walked past her to go inside and put his bag on the bed. 

“Carrots what do I do with the gifts?”

She was unsure so she answered, “Mom will know. Let’s go ask her.” She left her bag on the floor near the door and negotiated back down the hall.

They walked into the kitchen and Bonnie was hastily going back and forth between several pots checking the progress of whatever was giving off the delicious aroma assaulting his nose.

“I know what you’re thinking, this won’t be able to feed everyone but it doesn’t have to. The girls decided to have a potluck-type reception so this time I won’t be stuck in the kitchen all night!” Bonnie said without turning around. 

She continued with, “But Kelly specifically requested my carrot bean soup and I couldn’t deny my child her favorite food on her wedding day.” That’s when she turned around with a somber smile on her face. Judy’s heart flipped flopped and she knew it must be hard to let go of your children. Thankfully for Bonnie she had a few hundred extras she could hold on to. 

Nick adjusted the package that was slipping out of his grasp and Judy took one of the gifts from him so he didn’t drop any. “Where can we put these Mom?” Judy asked referencing the parcels.

“If you go out back you’ll see a row of tables closest to the house with each couples name on it so no one gets confused about what’s going where. Judith L Hopps please show him real quick then come back. I really do need your help in here putting the soup in serving dishes ok?”

Judy nodded. She was concerned that her mother used her whole name but shrugged it off and once again Nick followed her outside.

The tables were still pretty empty considering no other guests had arrived but the Hopps siblings had managed to spread their gifts here and there. 

Suddenly Judy exclaimed, “That’s why the house was so quiet.”

Nick looked to see what she was staring at and in the distance were a majority of her brothers and sisters and her father. Most were clamored around her dad but the others were a whirlwind of activity from putting out chairs to setting up tables.

He saw that as his queue and put the gifts down then began walking towards the herd of bunnies.

As he left didn’t turn back when Judy called out, “Nick are you sure you’ll be okay?”

The fox continued walking but shouted back,

“Of course Carrots I’m a cop I can handle anything.” He put on a brave face but the fact that he wouldn’t look her way let her know he was doing his best to hide his insecurities. Also he chose that moment to take his sunglasses from his breast pocket and slip them on so he couldn’t fool her. 

Judy shook her head knowingly and smiled before returning to the house.


	2. Embarass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some confusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seriously sorry if it sucks. grammar is not easy peazy

When Nick neared the gaggle of bunnies a lot of the younger ones knew that if he were here that must mean their older sister was too so they stampeded back to the house to greet her. 

That left him with Judy’s father and all the older children who could help do the bigger projects. He advanced slowly and directly to Stu Hopps. He did so fearing he’d startle the older man who had once sent his daughter off to Zootopia with fox repellent...

Instead Stu smiled widely and eagerly took Nick’s outstretched paw and shook it relieving the fox immensely.

“I sure am glad you’re here Nick, we could use some more muscle. We’ve been putting up these big white tents since before sunrise and well, we’re tired.”

Nick smirked and said, “I’ll be glad to help just put me to work.”

This made Judy’s dad smile even wider but one of her brothers snidely remarked, “What does a city slicker know about hard work?”

Said brother was slapped across the head as another brother proclaimed, “You dummy he’s a cop. He don’t just sit around all day long.”

“That’s right.” Nick said in defense, “Now if you had said that a few years back I would have agreed with you. But now I’d have to disagree because I’ve arrested animals ten times my size and that’s not easy.”  
Nick wasn’t mad or anything he just knew their dynamic of chiding each other. It actually made him feel a part of this family in a way. Every time they visited the city or he joined a conversation with Judy on the phone he learned more and more about these boys in particular and he was comfortable enough holding his own against them when it came to it.

that moment Stu reminded them all they had work to do. He led Nick around the perimeter of the dilapidated tent and explained they had to hoist the tent on the posts the children had dug previously. He surveyed the area and took off his blazer and placed over the back of a chair so he would look somewhat presentable when the wedding started.

As he walked back he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to help in any way possible.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Judy noticed as she walked back into the kitchen that her mother had already begun divvying out the soup into dishes that only saw the light of day on important family occasions. 

“So where are the K girls? Are they getting ready upstairs?” Judy asked as she grabbed a spoon.

Momma Hopps shook her head and said, “No the girls are getting ready at their hotel rooms. They’ve been there since yesterday.”

Judy nodded and went to grab a dish.

Before she could help her mother, Bonnie instructed her to put on an apron so she didn’t spill anything on her clothes.

She didn’t get it tied properly as she was bombarded by her younger siblings who had all run in from being outside. Judy cooed and hugged as many as possible but her mother gave a look and said, “Now look I told you all this morning to stay out of the kitchen and help your father.”

A chorus of rebuttals bounced back and from what she gathered they had all finished.

“So what are you doing here? All of you better go on and get ready for the wedding!”

And just like that the swarm evacuated the kitchen and they all hurried on their way to their rooms. 

Bonnie returned to what she was doing humming all along and Judy finished tying her apron and began to follow in her footsteps.

In the kitchen there was a large window which gave a view of most of the Hopps land. From where Judy was standing she could see the rest of her siblings and father and Nick doing their best to hoist the tent up. Nick was pulling a rope alone where as her brothers needed at least three on each one in order to provide as much strength as the fox.

Judy’s eyes narrowed in on Nick and was kind of thunderstruck. She had never really seen him in a nice dress shirt that fit his form. When she picked him up this morning the blazer was so outlandish and Nick like that it had distracted her from what was under it. 

It was so much different from his casual clothes. It wasn’t loose. It was tucked in…

This blue shirt contrasted his fur so drastically and hugged his torso in such a way that her paws tightened on the spoon she was cradling. His sleeves were rolled up and she could see his forearms which flexed as he tugged against the rope.

A warm salty almost metallic flavor hit her tongue and she blinked tearing her gaze off of Nick.

There was only one reason why this taste would be in her mouth and it was always followed by the beginning of her heat cycle.

“Oh no please not now.” She yelled covering her eyes with the spoon still in her hand.

“What is it Judy?” Her mom asked.

The older bunny looked at her daughter who seemed to be shaking and muttered something she couldn’t quite hear so she put aside what she was doing and went over to her daughter.   
Bonnie patted her back to calm her and asked again, “What is it? Did you forget something?”

Judy’s eyes glistened as she looked at her mother finally, “No momma I’m going into heat.”

Bonnie patted her back one last time albeit a bit more roughly than before and walked back to what she was doing, “All those tears for that? Honey you know when you come home you sync back with your sisters! And three of them are getting married, did you think it wasn’t going to happen? This is a good thing!”

“How is it good!?” Judy screeched.

“Because there will be plenty of young men at this wedding! All of your sister’s fiancés have brothers. You know we Hopps women always look more appetizing in heat. We might actually find you a handsome buck boyfriend. I can’t wait to tell your father.”

The tears definitely stopped when Judy heard that because she was now disgusted.

“I don’t want a handsome buck boyfriend!”

Bonnie noted the tone of her voice and raised an eyebrow, “Do you want a handsome doe girlfriend?” she asked speculatively with no hint of surprise in her voice.

Judy rolled her eyes and her hands were once again covering her face.

“Mom I think I…” She trailed off not knowing how to say what she wanted. 

Bonnie stopped completely, “You think what? Judy?”

There was a pause and Judy looked outside and saw Nick now tying down the rope to keep the tent in place.  
“I think I am in love with Nick.” She confessed.

She looked back at her mom with a sad sort of smile expecting the worst and she felt she was right when she saw the tears now flowing down her mother’s cheeks.

Judy didn’t move, she didn’t know how to comfort her mother, she just laid the spoon she was holding on the table and continued to speak, “I think I’ve known for a long time. He’s such a good friend and has been such an important part of my life. I know he’s a fox and I’m a bunny but I can’t help it. Everyday he’ll do or say something that makes me fall deeper. I just can’t help it. I love him. I love Nick.”

Suddenly a squeal exploded from Bonnie Hopps mouth that terrified Judy.

The tears had been from the joy that overtook her from her daughter’s news.

Bonnie practically jumped over to Judy and hugged the daylights out of her.

“I knew it I knew it!” she squawked into Judy’s sensitive ears. “I told your father the last time we saw you that you had a thing for that handsome fox. He didn’t believe me but ohh how I’m going to rub it in his fury face!”

She was still in her mother’s embrace when she said, “Wait, what?! What do you mean you knew?”

Bonnie finally let go and with the biggest smile she happily replied, “A mother knows dear.”  
Judy was confused.

“If you knew then what was all that about finding me a handsome buck boyfriend!?”

With the grin still on her face Bonnie told her, “A mother will do what’s necessary to hear the truth from her children. This is precious. I was so worried you’d end up as some unmarried hardened police officer with no children and no joy. But now we can plan your wedding my darling. What kind of service? Should we invite your police friends?”

Judy’s brain caught up with what her mom said and she backpedaled, “Wait. No, I’m not getting married to Nick. I haven’t told him. And I don’t think I will I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Her mother stuttered, “B-but you’re in heat and he’s here and you love him.”

Judy sighed, “I know mom. I’ve been through many heat cycles around him and that’s the problem. He doesn’t like it. He gets mean and pretty much barks at me until it stops.”

“Sounds to me like he’s pushing you away on purpose. Men like to play games Judy, it doesn’t matter what species they are.”

Judy clasped her paws together timidly, “There’s too much to lose at stake. Our partnership on the ZPD and our friendship. I won’t risk it.”

Bonnie’s heart broke just hearing her say those things, “What are you going to do? You can’t leave it’s your sisters’ wedding.”

She smiled weakly at her mom, “I know and Nick probably already knows because of how in tune we are with each other. And soon everyone else will too. I’m more worried about the guys who won’t leave me alone at the wedding. They think that just because I’m single that I’m desperate. It’s so annoying.”

Judy shook her head to clear her thoughts, “What am I saying I’m a police officer! I can handle a few lusting losers! And I can handle Nick too. If he gets rude I’ll put him in his place that’s for sure.” Or so she thought.

Her ferocity filled her mother with joy and the two finished preparing the soup in no time at all.

Guests began to arrive shortly after their small heart to heart and they were steadily busier with either directing them where to go or when one of her smaller siblings needed help with a tie or a button on a dress.

In no time at all the Hopps land was amassed with bunnies, sheep and pigs and goats and this and that. Judy and Nick hadn’t spoken nor seen one another since they parted ways at the back door of the house and Judy tried to keep it that way until the last possible moment.

The last possible moment being the second before her sisters were due to walk down the aisle. There weren’t enough seats for everyone and a lot had chosen to stand at the back and mingle near the refreshments but Nick managed to snag two.

They were about to play the wedding march and Nick scanned the area looking for Judy. He did so with his blazer back on and shades still covering his eyes because they were the only things comforting him with her not being there. He had received a few weird looks already because he was the one of two foxes at this wedding but he was more concerned with finding Judy.

He was about to leave and hunt her down when she slipped into the seat next to him. 

“Long time no,” He stopped. Her scent hit him like a punch to the face and he involuntarily breathed her in like she was the last bit of air to ever go in his lungs.

Judy knew that he knew which is why she kept her sights locked to the back where she saw her father twiddling and side stepping. She didn’t have to look at Nick to know he was upset, she didn’t want to know he was upset. It would upset her if he was already upset.

She had already fended off two bucks and she was festering in her annoyance. 

At last the wedding march started and the crowd that had been seated stood to see the brides.

Her sisters were a sight to behold. Even though they shared this special day, each girl deserved their own attention. Their personalities were as different as their dresses and Judy fought more tears as they passed by her and Nick. 

Of course since there were three their father ended up guiding them by walking in front of them to the arch of flowers that was their makeshift altar. It was at that moment the pastor asked Stu to give away his daughters then told everyone to have a seat.

Judy was trying her hardest to focus and listen to the pastor as he started the ceremony but Nick’s rumbling heartbeat and ragged breathing were all she could hear. This is what she hated about this. His heart would lead her to believe he wanted her as more than a friend but she bet herself that the second they could speak to each other he’d snap and she would stomp away.

Nick’s breathing evened out eventually but his heart continued to beat erratically.

She stole a glance at him for less than a second and he was stone faced and she couldn’t see his eyes because of the glasses. 

Her building annoyance came out of her in the form of bouncing her leg up and down in rapid succession. She did it quietly as not to disturb the animals around them then looked again at Nick and his posture and he wasn’t relaxed, his paws were still as they rested a top his thighs.

Judy closed her eyes to compose her emotions and then stared intensely ahead.

With her leg still jiggling she focused with all her might on the wedding unfolding in front of her. At last her sister’s vows hit her ears and she heard what they were saying. 

Thoughts of her younger sisters starting their lives with their soon to be husbands entered her mind and a warmth spread over Judy. She chucked it up to her being in heat and fanned herself anyways. This was her body’s biology trying to get her to disregard her other goals in life and produce kits. She didn’t want to have babies. She just wanted to be a cop and sleep with Nick.

Judy almost choked on her thoughts as If she were caught saying it aloud and jiggled her leg faster as another round of warmth spread over her.

She hated being in heat and being so sensitive to everything whether it be a simple thought or the way he was touching her knee.

Another fiercer wave hit her as she realized he really was in fact touching her knee and she wasn’t imagining it. Judy bit her lip and repressed a groan, he really did know how to confuse her.

His heart beat even seemed to increase from the contact he provided but her leg kept vibrating.

Judy stared down at his paw, his large paw touching her. His paw she wished in her heat fogged brain was touching her everywhere else. She wasn’t having waves of warmth anymore, she was just completely on fire now. He made it worse when he gently squeezed her there.

“Judy stop moving.” He whispered low so only her ears could hear.

He used her real name, not a nick name or some affectionate pet name, he used her actual name. And she was ablaze but went still as he asked her to.

Wasn’t she supposed to be the one helping him not be anxious at this wedding!? She screamed in her mind over and over.

When he did release her knee she could have cried but became just as stoned faced as he was for the rest of the ceremony, she was determined to get her body back under her control. Unfortunately since it was a combined wedding it was going to last longer than usual. By the time the pastor announced the brides and grooms the sun was beginning to set and Judy was almost certain she was going to make it.

At last everyone stood and cheered for the new couples as they made their way down the aisle, everyone except for Nick. He stared straight ahead until the cheers died down and then turned his focus to his dumb bunny partner who was making things very difficult by being in heat. How had this happened?

He had been wondering this as soon as he smelled it on her and couldn’t understand because this morning she was fine. Nick would have continued to try and figure this out during the ceremony if she would just stop moving her leg. 

That’s when his arm moved all on its own to clamp his paw down on her knee. This was a mistake as he had never had direct contact with her ever, while she was in heat and he was momentarily stunned at the contact and the thickness of her scent that enveloped them. He managed to blurt out for her to stop but then he might have blanked out until the crowd started cheering.

Now he was looking at her through his shades as she wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled at her sister’s retreating forms.

Abruptly her eyes scrolled to his shaded ones and they were level because she was standing and he was sitting but she only saw her reflection mirrored back at her and all at once she was mortified at how stupid she looked so she fled. 

“Wait Carrots!” he blurted out which caused a few heads to turn but he didn’t care.

He was on his feet now navigating through the mass of animals and it helped that he was taller than most of them but what didn’t help was that there were at least several hundred other bunnies there.

Nick would have to rely on his nose.

Regrettably every family member that he bumped into trying to find her kept telling him, “I just saw her she went that way.”

But she was never this way or that way and he assumed she was using his height against him because ultimately she could see him coming and make another getaway. He finally saw her after 30 minutes of searching and was mad that she kept running from him like he was a monster. He was even angrier seeing her being cornered by some bunny he didn’t recognize as her family. He didn’t smell like a Hopps brother, he smelled desperate and Nick didn’t like that.


	3. Smell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how many times will I apologize in advance? nearly everytime ok sorry sorry also sorry for random OC he wont show up again lol...maybe

Nick took off his sunglasses and practically stomped over to them never taking his eyes off Judy.

When she finally acknowledged his presence and looked at him his anger dissipated awkwardly and all the things he wanted to say were thrown aside as he yipped, “You promised me blueberries!”

Judy just stared at him as the young male bunny she had been nodding at disinterestedly asked, “Pardon me? Did you say blueberries?”

This guy, what was his name? Chad? Charles? Judy couldn’t remember at all because he had been the seventh bunny to approach her and that and the situation with Nick was too frustrating for one woman to handle on her own. The second she left Nick’s side at the ceremony she regretted it and chastised herself and her stupid bunny body.

But she was so afraid to confess her feelings and destroy the best thing in her life. So she ended up slipping through the ceremony leading Nick on a trail that would end up with her when she was ready to talk to him like a normal animal. Instead of a cliché horny rabbit. 

Instead she was managing to attract every single young buck at the wedding. At first she was able to brush off the first few but this guy actually managed to trip her up by asking about her job, which she never blew off an opportunity to talk about.

He wasn’t bad looking and she’d have to admit he seemed like he wanted more from her than what her body was teasing him with so she smiled at him and replied, “Yes. My family grows blueberries here. I promised my partner here,” she gestured to all of Nick, “That I would take him there and pick some right off the bush because they are his favorite.”

“Your partner? Oh I didn’t know I’m sorry.”

Nick and Judy both realized what he was misinterpreting it as and went to interject but Nick was louder, “Yeah that’s right she’s my partner.”

There was a second of silence between the three before she offered, “On the force! The police force! Where we work. Together…uh.” Judy fumbled over her words but what she said only gave the male bunny a sliver of hope.

The polite buck eventually stuck out his paw towards Nick, “Well I’m Chance. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Nick wasn’t stupid but Chance thought he was. 

Chance also thought he had a chance with Judy. 

Fat chance in hell Nick thought.

Judy prayed for peace and tensed up when Nick finally reached out his paw to the smaller male and shook it. She didn’t know what she expect but Nick transformed instantly into his old con fursona and actually boasted about the farm and the fruits and vegetables the Hopps Family…produced.

Something was up or maybe Nick was trying his hardest not to make her uncomfortable.

Judy was still very much uncomfortable.

More so when Nick took a step closer to her and propped himself up against her by clutching her shoulder with his solid paw. She could have sworn her knees buckled.

The two boys continued their cordial conversation and every few minutes, or was it seconds, Nick would stroke her shoulder in small spurts unnoticed by anyone but her. She tried very hard to focus but the ministrations were causing tremors and it’s almost like he was torturing her on purpose.

Her eyes fluttered and she momentarily thought she would throw caution to the wind and push Chance away and punch Nick then kiss him then…Dammit her body was affecting her mind now.

Without warning her ears flicked to a noise behind her and she turned her head and saw her mother across the tent saying her name and motioning her to come see her.

“Looks like my mom needs me for something. Chance was it?” The buck nodded at her with a smile as she finished, “It was lovely meeting you.” Judy went to leave but Chance grabbed her paw and invaded her personal space by kissing it. 

Nick squeezed her shoulder in surprise.

Chance wasn’t just kissing her paw the little bastard was trying to leave his scent on her.

Of course Judy wouldn’t know. She only slipped out from under his firm paw and bashfully receded into the crowd where Nick made sure she was actually going to where Mrs. Hopps was.

“So you like the blueberries here? I’ll have to try them sometime.” Chance was trying to keep their chat going and Nick lolled his head back towards the bunny and said to him with a completely dead pan face,

“I like Judy’s blueberries and sorry squirt I don’t think you’ll be trying them anytime soon.”

Nick walked away and left him stunned there in the chaos of the reception.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Judy reached her mother she smiled at her solemnly and asked her why she called her over.

“You don’t look so good Jude why don’t you go back to the house and rest for a while?” Bonnie was no fool. Being in heat took a lot out of you if you weren’t exerting your energy in a more delicate manor. The brides were fine, they had something to look forward to tonight. But poor Judy… she had to help her.

“No mom I promised Nick when we got here that I would take him to the blueberry patches.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bonnie asked. “Maybe you should take a few of your younger brothers and sisters?”

That idea lit up Judy’s face like it solved all her problems, “Sounds good to me. Where are they all?”

Bonnie held a paw to her bottom lip and looked around, “My guess is that they are near the food. But Judy we harvested the crop in the first field, you’ll have to take the ATV out to the second one.”

It wasn’t that big of an issue and after Bonnie told her where the keys were she pecked her mother on the cheek and turned around slamming her head into Nick’s chest.

Her nose wasn’t as good as his but being this close it didn’t matter. Her ears drooped and she closed her eyes and pressed her nose deeply into his shirt. With her nose touching his chest she could feel the vibrations of his heart which was thumping wildly against his ribcage.

Maybe she should tell him how much she loved him.

Nick went to say something to her but she broke their contact and walked off to find her siblings and the keys

When she located some of her brothers and sisters it wasn’t hard to convince them to go with her and Nick to the patch so she told them to wait for her near the ATV as she went to the tool shed where her mother said the keys would be.

He followed her.

The shed was around the side of the house away from the hustle of the reception and it was at that moment Nick decided to ask her, “Are we going to talk or what?”

The question made her scent quiver to a dangerous new level and he took a step back. Yes Judy smelled good but she also smelled like Chance on her paw and on her cheek her mother’s maternal scent still remained from when they arrived. He wanted to remove those scents and replace them with his, he wanted to so much. 

When she would go into heat in Zootopia it was easy to avoid her or focus more heartily in his job. But now that they were here and she was surrounded by men who wanted to do what he was fighting not to do  
with her, his protective traits took over. Plus no one in Zootopia dared to scent mark her with him around.

Judy ignored his question and grabbed the keys and walked away.

Nick wasn’t going to stop.

“Carrots.” He said sternly as he skipped to catch up with her. “Did I do something? Why’d you run away from me earlier?”

She rolled her eyes and kept walking until she jumped into the small farm vehicle where some of her siblings were crammed waiting to go eat their fill of blueberries.

“It’s not you Nick I just get really emotional at weddings.” 

The look of disbelief remained on his face as he sat down next to her and as they drove out to the field and as they pulled up to the vast field of Nick’s favorite treat. When she turned the key to cut the engine off her siblings made a mad dash to the bushes and she told them all to be back in at least 15 minutes.

Judy could see the wedding tents in the distance and she felt ashamed because she didn’t even get to talk to her newlywed sisters yet. What kind of sister was she to let a simple heat period get in the way of congratulating them? Why did she had to fall in love with her partner?

Why did he have to stand so close to her?

If she leaned slightly to her right her body would most certainly brush his.

“Alright so teach me how to pick the best ones Officer Fluff.” He said snapping her focus back down to earth.

She didn’t speak again and only grabbed a basket which had already been on the ATV and took him down a row not occupied by her siblings.

“These look perfect.” She said as they stopped at least halfway down the row and she motioned for him to pick one.

He hadn’t had one of these berries since there last care package from her parents some time ago so when he plucked it off the branch and tossed it into his mouth his taste buds rejoiced and he moaned in satisfaction.

“Are they good?” she asked rhetorically. She knew they were good, she had been raised on them. She just wanted to hear it straight from his mischievous mouth.

And Nick didn’t disappoint.

“I would bathe in them if I could.”

A giggle escaped her mouth and Judy finally relaxed. Maybe he did deserve an answer.

“I’m sorry about earlier Nick I just, sometimes when I come home it…does strange things to me.” It wasn’t the whole truth but Nick accepted it as long as she didn’t snap at him like she did at the ceremony.

They quietly commenced in picking berries and placing them in the basket, although Nick ate more than he put in, until Judy saw that they were almost out of time.

“The sun is almost gone. We should round up the kids and head back.”

There was no argument on his end as he retrieved the basket and went back to the ATV. Judy walked to the driver side and honked the horn as a signal for her siblings to return and Nick walked behind her to place the basket in the back.

He shifted to walk back around to the other side and have a seat when one of her siblings crashed into his legs sending him barreling into Judy. They tumbled to the ground with Nick landing on top of her straddling her tiny frame. All his training on the ZPD was like a reflex in his system so he managed not to crush her but the position alone was right out of a romance novel.

He reared back on his heels apologizing over and over while grabbing her paw to help her up and if she could have turned red she would have. 

Judy looked at the sibling who ran into Nick, Thomas, who was of course born in the T litter and chastised him and lectured him to watch where he was going. The youngling peeped out and apology to the pair and sat quietly in the back of the ATV.

She went to apologize on behalf of her clumsy brother when Nick, still holding the paw he helped her up with, brought it to his muzzle and pressed his lips to it then dragged her paw along to the edge of his mouth.

Chance’s scent was finally erased.

Chance who? Exactly.

Nick was feeling pretty smug when he let go of her paw to return to his seat. And just as the last sibling jumped in the ATV she mindlessly hopped in and drove them all back to the house.

The children virtually disappeared the moment they returned leaving them alone once more and Judy held the paw he kissed to her chin. Her heart was almost painfully beating on her lungs. She wanted to tell him. 

She had to tell him how much he meant to her and how she didn’t want to only be friends with him. She loved him and wanted him and she hoped he did too.

Judy looked at him and Nick was leaning back in his typical relaxed fashion but he was watching the reception bustle just a few yards from where they were parked. Blood flowed through the nerves in her ears and her superior hearing became foggy. She could only hear his heart.

“Nick I-.”

“Carrots,” He spoke over her accidentally. “It looks like something important is about to happen in there. We better go rejoin the masses.”

Oh.

She lost her nerve.

They walked back together side by side just in time to see Stu Hopps leading each of his daughters to their husbands so they could participate in their first dance as man and wife. Her father, she noticed, had tears in his eyes as he watched them and another different sort of twist prodded at her heart. Her mother joined her father and held on to his left arm with her own tears trickling down her cheeks.

Slowly the newlyweds were joined on the dance floor by other couples.

Judy watched her sisters for a few more moments before she spun around and headed back to the ATV.

“Where are you going?” Nick asked cautiously.

She smiled back and him and said, “We forgot the blueberries. I’m just going to put them in the kitchen.”

That wasn’t an invitation to go with her but he did and when they left the ATV and went to the kitchen he leaned on the counter and watched her place them on the table.

“Are you hungry?” she asked him. She was famished but considering how many berries he ate she thought he might be fine for now.

“Can we just stay in here a minute?” 

Judy nodded and walked over and sat next to him on the counter he was leaning on. She assumed he needed a break from the commotion outside and the quiet kitchen was the perfect place for that.

“They should be leaving soon.” She said wearily. “To start their new lives. Have children of their own.”

“I’m pretty sure one of them is already pregnant.” He blurted out.

She grabbed his shoulder in shock, “What?! How do you know that?!” 

He shifted to face her, his torso connecting to her leg dangling off the counter and said, “I can smell it. It’s faint, she might be early on but all women give off the same fragrance when they’re knocked up. Doesn’t matter the species.”

Judy took her paw off him and slapped her knee jokingly, “Thank goodness she got married today. My parents want grand-babies but having them out of wedlock isn’t something they prefer. Do you know which sister it was?”

Nick absentmindedly placed his paw on the other side of her trapping her there on the counter.

“I think it was Katherine? The one whose husband has glasses.”

Judy giggled like she was just given a treasure, “Oooh I’m going to tease her before she leaves. Never thought she would be the first but you never know right?”

Nick shrugged.

“That’s amazing that you can smell that.”

“It’s more of a curse than a blessing.” He revealed to her.

“What do you mean? What other interesting things can you smell?”

Nick shuffled to stand directly in front of her dangerously close to being in between her legs and held her gaze, “Everything.” He whispered hoarsely.


	4. Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's out in the open for all to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to write this out before I forget or whatever. Im overwhelmed by the response this story has gotten. Im sorry my posting is all over the place, sometimes twice a day and sometimes once but ahhhh sometimes I write and write and other times im stuck on how to phrase a sentence for an hour. That’s just the way it is. 
> 
> Thank you!!...forgive me if it sucks. if it sucks just close the tab
> 
> WELL I'LL BE DARNED GIDEON GREY
> 
> *edit* shit this chapter so short sorry

There was a noise, a shuffling of feet, coming from the back door and it opened to a bewildered looking Gideon. She didn’t see Nick maneuver away from her because her eyes were on the country fox but Nick was now near the table. 

How he managed to compose himself was a mystery.

Gideon looked back and forth at Nick and Judy somewhat realizing he had just disturbed their tryst but he was carrying a heavy tray of pastries and he was told to put them in the house.

“Pardon me. I didn’t think to knock. Judy your momma, I mean Mrs. Hopps, wanted these put away for tomorrow.”

Judy noticed that Gideon wouldn’t look at her, if he did it was only for a millisecond and the cop in Judy thought it was strange but regardless she hopped down off the counter and told him to place them on the table next to the blueberries she and Nick had picked.

After a few pleasantries Gideon sheepishly looked at the back door and informed them both shyly, “I think they’re about to cut the cake. I don’t really want to miss that so if you’ll excuse me.”

“It’s no problem actually, I think we’ll go with you.” Judy admitted. She looked at Nick who gave a nod and they all left the house with her and Gideon walking side by side and Nick only a few feet behind them.

She was happy with the distraction for right now because she was scared. Not of her life being in danger but of the look Nick gave her before Gideon came in the house. The fox was so good at hiding what he was feeling at face value that when she saw how vulnerable he looked she felt a pang in her chest and wanted to hold him.

Was it her predicament making him this way or was he about to tell her something she didn’t want to hear as in, no we can’t do this or you’re making me uneasy and I’d like to go back to Zootopia now please?

They reached the tent just in time to see the remnants of the couples sharing their cake with each other and Judy’s heart swelled. Amazingly Nick offered to go get them each a slice and he was quite a sight standing in line in a fray of rabbits and other animals.

Judy and Gideon both laughed at Nick’s dilemma but when Judy looked at Gideon he quickly turned his head like he did something wrong.

“Gideon I thought we were past all awkwardness of our childhood days. You know you’re my friend right?” Judy asked as he put his paws in his jean pockets and kicked the ground haphazardly. 

“It’s not that Judith.” He said timidly. “My grannie always told me to be extra careful around ladies going through their hot spells and such.”

The color drained from the skin under her fur.

“H-how do.” This was awkward. “How do you know?”

“Well it’s all on account of how your scent has changed. Why do you think your friend over there made sure to put his own scent on you? He’s been trying to prevent you from bein’ ambushed I assume. There’s some wicked men in this world who’d love to take advantage of you in your fragile condition, ‘specially these country boys.”

Judy didn’t have time to reply before Gideon continued, “That’s why I’m kinda surprised he left you alone with me. He must trust me an awful lot. Or maybe he just knows I ain’t interested.”

She wiggled her nose in protest, “He doesn’t think I can hold my own? I’m a police officer for cheese sakes!”

He didn’t seem to recognize that she was getting mad, “Naw I think he just knows that your mind may be in control but your body is sending out other signals. It ain’t your fault on account of what your body does. It’s just the way it is.”

Judy held up an accusatory paw to speak her mind but Nick reappeared to hand them each a plate and their conversation flittered away. 

The two foxes heartily enjoyed their cake as true fans of sweets would but Judy just stared at her petite slice, her hunger from earlier almost nonexistent.

Why was being in heat at home so much different than it happening in the city? 

Nick never tried to protect her in Zootopia when this happened. He just ignored her. Judy thought hard and concluded that it was most likely because being home did truly make her different. Even right now she was still referring to Bunnyburrow as home when she knew her heart truly rested back in her tiny apartment in Zootopia. 

This place, her hometown, made her feel like settling.

A sigh slipped from her mouth and she knew it wasn’t a bad thing but she had no plans of settling and having a family just yet.

And perhaps that’s why Nick was trying to protect her because he didn’t want her to either. It would seriously damage their partnership on the force, which she kept saying as a mantra to make herself believe it.  
Everything would ruin their partnership, it was just best for everything to stay the same. She had to keep fighting against her heat no matter how much she wanted to give in.

At some point during her thought process Gideon had bid farewell to the both of them and sauntered off. She came out of her stupor when Nick waved a paw in her face tickling her nose.

"Welcome back to Earth cottontail. How nice of you to join us. What’s wrong?”

Judy smiled at him despite her inner conflict and retorted with, “Just being an emotional dumb bunny as usual.”

He wasn’t buying it but as expected they were cut short from an emotional exchange by another sibling, her oldest sister Annie.

“Judy there you are! We’ve been looking for you for the family picture!”

She set her uneaten piece of cake down on a nearby table and allowed her sister to take her by the arm and lead her to the three brides. Nick followed them and when the girls saw Judy they all broke into smiles and reached out to hug her.

They all spoke at once about how happy they were to see her. The girls, Katherine, Kelly and Kim were bubbly and managed to make Judy laugh completely forgetting about her nonsense. A photographer beckoned them to look their way and a few shots were taken of the girls with Judy.

Next the family photo took place but because of the size of the family it was split into sections of children A – E and then F – J and so on until everyone had a turn.

Judy was instructed by her sister brides to stay put and wait for them to be done so they could talk to her more. She stood there watching the chaos of each photo and smiled wide. Her family may have been big but they were incredibly organized. 

That was the moment Nick slipped in beside her.

“It’s almost over.” 

He glanced down at Judy and she had a sad sort of look to her as she said that even though she was still smiling. A passerby nudged past him forcing Nick to bump slightly into Judy and neither moved from the closeness right away. 

Although a shiver did spread over her.

Nick broke their contact to remove his blazer. He stepped behind her and put it over her shoulders. His warmth enclosed around her and she innocently leaned into him. If they could share more moments like this then she would be content she reasoned.

The act was supposed to be chivalrous by itself but Nick had managed to dilute her overpowering scent from other males and this pleased him greatly. Now she smelled like him and her own mixture of pheromones which is really what he wanted in the beginning. 

Her scent.

It was growing stronger by the hour and with her situated in front of him all he had to do was slightly tip his head down and breathe to be taken over by it. He shouldn’t but he didn’t stop himself.

“They’re so beautiful.” Judy said about her sisters wholly unaware of his intentions as he stooped down to nuzzle her.

“So are you.” He answered sending a puff of his warm breath in her ear and she collapsed into his arms. He helped her correct her posture as soon as she could feel her feet and stand on her own. Her scent was making him unhinged and reckless. 

He shouldn’t be holding her like this.

Especially since they were surrounded by prey and he was a predator.

But he was so high off her he didn’t care and fortunately for Nick there was so much fuss happening around them that his actions were going unnoticed.

Their height difference was his only issue because he was crouched over her behind her at a back straining angle and even more so when he sniffed her cheek where her mother’s scent remained and nipped at it gently. 

There was no motive to bite, it wasn’t even a pinch.

Nick only wanted to drag his teeth and gums over the softness of her cheek and erase the maternal smell of Bonnie so that the thoughts taking over his imagination weren’t perverting the motherly loving essence she left on her daughter.

He couldn’t stop. 

That nibble on her cheek awoke something in Judy because now her arousal was reaching his nose on top of her heat provocation. She smelled like that because of him.

“Oh God Judy.” He whined into her ear with a deep growl.

His tail slipped around them both to wrap over her as much as its length could allow and her desire pooled so strongly in her abdomen she was sure she would catch the attention of the animals around her and Nick.

She was trembling.

Momentarily Judy considered surrendering to the thought of quelling the fire in her pelvis because she was wearing his blazer and no one would be able to see.

But then he brought his mouth lower to her neck and kissed her where her pulse throbbed and her instincts took control.

She spun around in his embrace and rubbed her mouth and chin anywhere she could reach.

Her paws braced against his shoulders and she ground her muzzle on every part of his neck that was visible without ripping his shirt. Next she did the same to each side of his face. He enclosed his arms around her and her eyes flickered in realization at what they had done in view for everyone to see. 

There were no cries of protest from the prey around them but Judy still stepped away with her paws remaining on his chest.

His heart was palpitating under her paw and she clutched his shirt.

Their relationship had changed with only a few actions.

“We have to talk.” He whispered.

She nodded never taking her eyes off his as he spoke until a gleeful chorus of voices screamed her name behind her and it was her sisters who were done with the family photos. She turned her head to look at them and then back to Nick.

“Go. I’ll be here when you’re done. I’m not going anywhere.”

Judy nodded and absentmindedly started to shrug off his blazer when he stopped her.

“No, keep it on. Please don’t take it off.” He begged implicating that her scent without a barrier would draw some unwanted attention.

She left his presence to approach her sisters wide eyed and dazed.


	5. What

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's a tryer alright. Never seen anyone try so hard.

“Did you see the fox she was with?”

“Yeah mom said she brought her partner from work. I almost thought he was Gideon.”

“Gideon? He looks nothing like him! Just because they’re both red doesn’t mean they look alike.”

“Don’t twist my words. You’re the one who wouldn’t let me wear my glasses to my own wedding.”

“You mean ‘our’ wedding. And I told you to get contacts. Glasses would glare in every picture. Is that how to want to remember this day?”

“Why do you always have to be right?”

Kelly, Katherine and Kim we’re gathered by a corner of the tent chatting away when Judy approached them.

These sisters resembled Judy in height but other than that they varied in fur color, weight and temperament. They were born in a litter of all girls where Judy had been the only girl in her litter.

At some point in the time she left Nick to the walk over to her sisters Judy had found the fortitude to compose herself. It was easier to do so when she wasn’t crumbling against him. She had also put her arms through the sleeves of Nick’s jacket and wrapped the linen fabric around her like a robe.

Katherine, the oldest of the three brides, reached out to Judy first and hugged her tightly. 

“We’re so happy you made it.” 

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Judy admitted.

They all smiled and Judy boasted about how beautiful they were and what lucky bunnies their new husbands were. She also promised them that if they didn’t get treated right that she would throw their husbands in jail, you know, normal protective sibling banter.

“Oh yeah Judy I’ll have you on speed dial so whenever Caleb doesn’t take out the trash you and your partner can come take him away!” Kim said about her husband.

“Speaking of your partner,” Kelly expressed with wiggling eyebrows. “Is he the one from the Howler case?”

Judy’s heart constricted and she gulped.

“Yeah that’s Nick.” She laughed trying not to allude to anything being unusual.

“Mom told us you had a thing for him. He sure is handsome no wonder.” 

Dammit. Of course straight to the point, no beating around the bush.

“Are there no secrets in this family?” Judy sighed while rolling her eyes.

She wasn’t mad or anything she just was not sure she could handle this talk with what just happened with him.

“Are you kidding me? Not with our ears!” The girls erupted into a giggling mess.

When they settled down Katherine grilled her some more. 

“It’s pretty scandalous! Not only are you the first cop in the family but also the first to dip into another species! What’s it like? We want all the details.”

They were all looking at her expectantly and Judy stuttered, “I w-wouldn’t know.” Her ears were on fire she was sure.

“What?”

“I haven’t, we haven’t. He doesn’t know. We’re not together. We’re just friends.” She fibbed. It was only a few minutes ago she was ready to take him there on the floor in front of everyone.

She wasn’t fooling them.

“Judy you reek of him, like you took a shower in his mouth. Wait.” Kelly’s eyes widened in realization. “Aren’t you in heat?” Her nose sniffed experimentally. 

Judy crossed her arms over her chest squeezing his blazer tighter against her.

There really were no secrets.

“Mom told you that too huh?” Judy mumbled.

“Mom thinks it’s great. And so should you. Remember Laverne, being a rabbit is nothing to be ashamed of.” Kim’s voice was stern on the verge of shaking.

Judy knew better than to argue especially when her sister used her middle name.

“It’s not that.” She confessed to the three of them. “I just don’t know what I’m doing. I feel like I have no control.”

Katherine ducked her head down and as quietly as she could she asked, “Are you telling us that our fierce sister, Zootopia’s best police officer and national hero has never mated.”

An adrenaline rush of embarrassment made Judy sway and she put a paw to her forehead in defeat. They all gathered closer around her and waited for her to explain.

“Look I had other things to worry about. It wasn’t easy for me to become a cop. I had to sacrifice a lot of time, even time with you all. This kind of stuff never entered my mind until Nick showed up in my life. So of course, no, I’ve never s-slept with anyone.”

They were shocked.

“How in blazes did you survive your previous heat cycles? Did you at least, you know?” Of course she was referencing masturbation and not so subtly either.

Judy put her hands on her hips, “Is this really the time and place for this?”

The girls weren’t budging.

“Look I told you I was busy. I mean there were sometimes it would be very persistent but I’d just start exercising and the urge would go away. You three act as though being in heat is an orgy, it’s our bodies biological disposition to procreate.”

“I’m going to have to stop you right there Officer Judy.” Katherine challenged intending on teaching her a lesson. “I want you to remember everything you’re saying word for word because when you have your first mind blowing orgasm from someone else’s paws during your cycle you’re going to send me a thank you card for shining the light on your dark world.”

“Do you have to be so vulgar?” Judy reproached.

“Did a cop just tell me not to be vulgar?” Katherine shot back.

“Can I say something?” Kim chided in carefully stopping an argument.

No one spoke so she continued, “Just my opinion but, Judy, if this guy is the first person to make you feel anything thing like this then I think you should wait until after your cycle is over. Sometimes guys will use you and leave you when it’s done.”

“Or,” Katherine politely disagreed, “It’ll be the best thing ever and you’ll be closer than ever to him.”

Judy waved her arms out in front of her madly causing the sleeves of Nicks blazer to fold over her paws like an over grown sweater. She was rolling them up roughly when she blurted, “Please, can we not discuss this? It’s your wedding day and also having this conversation with my younger sister’s is more awkward than sitting through dads ‘seeds and the soil’ talk. Ok?”

“We’re just trying to help Judy. We love you.”

Their faces gleamed with sincerity until Katherine ruined it by saying, “You don’t have to have sex you can just get to know yourself a little better is all. Also…“ She looked into the crowd with Judy following her gaze to Nick who was facing away from them, “He could get to know you a little better too.”

“You’d know all about that wouldn’t you ‘Mrs. Shotgun’ wedding.” Judy teased.

Katherine’s pupils shrank to tiny dots, “How’d you know I’m pregnant?!”

“You’re pregnant?!” 

All four girls turned to see Katherine’s groom Daniel standing there. He had said that so loud the guests at the reception all quieted down and looked at the exchange.

Katherine smiled and started crying, “I was going to tell you tonight.”

“So that’s a yes?!” He said a tad bit louder this time.

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she nodded.

Daniel rushed over and grabbed her in a hug and spun her around.

The guests closest to them cheered and clapped and as soon as the news spread through the crowd the entire tent was applauding.

Mrs. Hopps was there in two shakes looking at them disapprovingly but she couldn’t stop the grin that overcame her so she reached out for Daniel and Katherine and held them tightly.

Judy was mostly pushed to the side as the other two grooms joined their brides and congratulated the newlyweds. She felt bad for ruining the surprise but was so glad she was able to witness it. She was actually happy for the distraction.

“Oh this is good news. Children are a blessing and I’m sure you’ll be great parents.” Judy overheard her mother say.

Bonnie released them and was now trying to find her husband who was nowhere in sight and he definitely wouldn’t want to miss this news.

“Stu? Stu where are you?!” She shouted above the reception.

Judy was curious about where he was as well so she scanned the masses until a few guests parted and a flash of red came into view. Nick and her father were just out from under the canopy of the tent talking.

She tried to hone in on their exchange but the interference from the rest of the animals was too great. 

Judy watched as someone went up to the pair and tapped Stu on the shoulder and pointed back to the tent where Mrs. Hopps was looking for him. Her father looked inside then back at Nick and then shook his paw and trekked back in.

She followed the path her dad took towards them then her eyes gravitated back to Nick and he was staring at her with a grin that left her feeling vulnerable.

He took a step forward and a tremor rippled through her.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“No, keep it on. Please don’t take it off.” He said to her as she tried to give him his jacket back.

Her purple eyes blinked and looked at him. It frustrated him to see the naivety mixed with hunger in her orbs and he was embarrassed for all the things he imagined doing to her in those few seconds.

When she finally left to speak to her sisters Nick was left a jumbled mess clutching his throat.

She had left her honey and earth all over his neck and face with her chin and if he could remember correctly that was how rabbits took their claim.

Judy claimed him.

It was instinctual and wild and he hoped she realized the implications of what she had done.

He panted in spurts forgetting how to use his lungs and the warmth of her body remained on his paws as he shuddered missing the contact.

Air, he needed fresh air before he passed out.

Nick staggered through the crowd and reached the perimeter of the tent taking a deep breath. 

This bunny, this woman, his partner was in all of his senses. It went further than a simple lust for her body but he cringed thinking of how much time he wasted not touching her.

More deep breaths and he was able to stand straight again.

A few animals were giving him a perplexed raised eyebrow or two but he didn’t care.

He wanted to put every whimper and deep moan she made into memory before she woke up and realized it was him. After all she was perfect Judy and he was just Nick.

But she made him feel like he was worth it. He wasn’t just a predator. 

He was hers and she had been claiming him since the first day they met.

“Excuse me Nick?”

At some point Stu Hopps had appeared in his peripherals. It took two seconds for Nick to stuff his insecurities back where they escaped from and greet the rabbit with a cool and collected hello.

“Can I have a word with you?” the older rabbit asked. The man had a no nonsense air about him and Nick agreed without question.

“My wife had a talk with me earlier and you may think were just a pair of hill-bunnies but when it comes to our children nothing is more serious.”

He kept going.

“This family is built on strong ground and good morals. You were invited to our home because we know our Judy and we know that if you’re trusted by her than you’re going to be treated like family by us.”

Stu cleared his throat.

“I want you to know that since my wife had that chat with me I’ve been watching you today.”

Nick tried to keep his face still but his eyes widened and he gulped.

“Sir.” 

“Wait now I’m not finished.” Stu halted his plea.

Nick stood ready to be dismissed and instead he was given a choice. 

“Look at me son.”

Walls were crumbling around Nick and he wanted to rebel but his training in the academy and his resurfacing insecurities kept him right where he was as he looked that older man directly in his eyes.

“What are your intentions with my daughter?”

Nick might have been having a panic attack. His mouth was dry and there was a ringing in his ears. The words of Mr. Hopps echoed repeatedly but he couldn’t run, that would only be avoiding his problems. 

He pushes a paw through the fur on top of his head and replies.

“I want what Judy wants. If she wants to try being in a relationship with me then that’s what I want. That’s all that matters.” He finishes weakly and his eyes remain on the rabbits.

And Stu smiles.

It’s a sad smile like the one on his face as he gave his daughters away earlier but it still comforts Nick like he said the right thing.

“My Jude is a tryer. She’s never been anything less. So I’m going to hold you to your word as a man.”

There’s a large round of applause happening in the tent but Stu doesn’t get distracted.

“And I think that if she can love you then we’ll have no problem right?”

Nick nods his head as a young sheep taps Stu on the shoulder.

“Mr. Hopps all sorts of people are looking for you.” And he points to the tent.

Stu looks over and his wife is jumping and waving for him to come to her and he grins and shifts back to Nick taking the foxes paw in his.

His grip is firm but his words are gentle, “Thank you Nick.” And then he’s walking away parting through the crowd.

This was the first time in his life that Nick was treated with so much respect outside of being a police officer and he was moved. It left him pondering how he was worth anything and it always boiled down to Judy and her love.

She loved him. And it made him better. More like he wanted to be better.

And it made him smile. And eased his mind. 

He stopped thinking about her to look for her in the crowd and saw her eyes wandering then finally connecting with his.

Time stilled but then rocketed forward when he took a step in her direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so here we are. judys a virgin...i guess..... its more fun to write it this way. at least it is for me. is that a weird thing to say???


	6. Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please please please. What a gentlemen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello and goodbye lmaooooooooo also ignore grammar mistakes unless i really fucked up

There it was.

He was getting closer and her ears finally locked on to his heart through the loudness of the crowd.

It was steady and strong, nothing like it had been before.

She couldn’t understand why it made her impatient but her foot started tapping on the ground.

Why couldn’t he walk faster?

Judy’s field of vision was suddenly blocked by her father and she cocked her head as he only cuffed her on the shoulder and kept walking. He had a sort of look of sorrow behind the smile he gave her which she had seen once when she left Bunnyburrow for the first time to go to Zootopia.

She turned her head to watch him as went to her mother and received the good news about Katherine and her pregnancy. His face lit up and Judy heard him ask repeatedly if he really was going to be a grandpa…again. His smile was finally genuine.

“So, you spilled the beans didn’t you Carrots?” Nick’s voice scoffed beside her.

When she looked at him his demeanor was relaxed and his arms were folded casually across his chest.

And it annoyed her.

Why was she so irked?

“I didn’t do it on purpose. Katherine was…She was uh.”

She had been telling Judy to let Nick have his way with her.

“She was teasing me but it doesn’t matter,” She blanched “Everything turned out okay.”

He raised both brows at her and teasingly said, “Oh really? You sure you didn’t give her the old bad cop routine?” 

She wrinkled her nose in displeasure at his choice of words and narrowed her eyes, “I’m never the bad cop. I leave that up to you.”

Nick nonchalantly twisted where he was standing to face her and quipped back with, “But I’m not the one who spoiled the surprise.” And flicked the tip of her nose with his index claw.

This is what they were doing now? He was just going to strut right over and pretend like all was well and that she wasn’t still turned on? Even that small touch of his claw to her nose made her breath hitch.

Judy looked at him with wide eyes, “Nick I thought we were going to talk?”

“We are talking Carrots.”

That’s not what she meant and he knew it.

How dare he get her all worked up and then blow her off like this. Anger surged through her as he smirked at her with half lidded eyes. Did he not want to in the first place? Maybe it was just because she was in heat and he lost control of his senses? She wanted to cry. Maybe it was her losing her mind, her emotions were all over the place.

“Nick please, I/”

“Do you want to dance?” He asked cutting her off. Judy didn’t have time to answer because he was now guiding them both to where couples were swaying to a Kings of Lion song.

She didn’t see him shoot a look back at her parents and she wasn’t prepared to have his paws on her again.

They made quite a spectacle with how much taller he was than her but when his one paw weaved his claws in her smaller ones and the other paw came to rest on her shoulder near the nape of her neck she didn’t care.

He waited for her to place her neglected paw on his waist and then lead them into a sort of waltz but really they were just stepping back and forth and occasionally turning.

Neither knew how to dance.

Which was okay because he really brought her over to in fact “talk.”

Too many nerves were reacting to his closeness and she found herself just watching how the fabric on his shirt moved with each step. The paw she had on his waist flexed on its own.

“Your dad was watching us.” He said quietly.

Judy lifted her head and pursed her lips in bewilderment, “What?” 

“He’s been watching us all night.”

The weight of his words connected and she was overcome with embarrassment. Her father saw them mercilessly scent marking each other. Of all the animals to catch them it had to have been him. Burying herself in the carrot field was sounding like a good idea.

She let her forehead collide with his torso and cried, “Nick I’m so sorry.” She couldn’t be embarrassed any further so she kept going, “I’m in heat and I don’t have any control of what signals I’m sending out. I’m sorry I put you in that position and for my father confronting you. Did he tell you we had to leave?”

The paw on her shoulder skimmed over her fur to the back of her neck and he pinched her gently so she would lift her head off his shirt.

“You dumb beautiful bunny.”

Her ears sprang up.

Nick’s heart was pounding violently.

“Your father didn’t tell me to do anything, he basically asked me what I wanted. And I think I’ve known for a long time.”

She couldn’t speak. She was sure she was dreaming.

“But it looks like I have to explain a few things before we get into what I want.”

He brought the paw from behind her head to her cheek and rubbed his clawed thumb carefully over the soft fur there.

“Weren’t you listening to me in the kitchen earlier? Right before Gideon walked in I said something to you, do you remember what that was?”

She was still speechless and he chuckled, “Come on Carrots, use your cop savvy attention to detail. Pretend it’s a case.”

Judy thought hard for a moment.

Okay, Kitchen.

Blueberries. Counter. Touching. She remembered she wanted more touching.

Focus.

Nick. Mouth. Paws. Warmth. Smell.

Everything.

Smell everything.

“You remember now don’t you? I can tell ‘cause your nose does this little wiggle when you figure something out.”

She sputtered, “You said you could smell everything.”

They had sashayed to the edge of the dance floor under Nick’s control where he stopped them both and pulled her closer to him. He stared down at her now with a hunger and willed her to understand.

The moment she did she gasped and he gruffly moaned, “I always know when you’re in heat. Not because I read the signs or because someone tells me. I can smell it and it smells like everything I like and need and it’s such a distraction you have no idea.” 

He fiddled with the flower crown and it tickled her ears.

“But that’s not the reason for anything I’ve done today.”

The words stopped at his lips and he was quiet for an inappropriate amount of time for how serious the conversation was. He was only staring at the daises on top of her head.

Judy couldn’t help it. She began to shake with laughter and snorted trying to hold it in.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Are you laughing at me?” 

She removed her paw off his waist and put it on her mouth failing to keep quiet.

“What exactly is so funny?” He said while letting her go and crossing his arms in front of him.

She had both of her paws covering her mouth now, “I’m sorry Nick it’s just.” There was a pause as she tried to keep talking and not laughing but finally managed to say, “Would you just spit it out?”

The fur on his body simultaneously fluffed up in disbelief and he snapped his head to the side, “I’m not saying anything anymore.”

Judy placed her paws over his crossed arms and stared up at him with intent, “Nick, it doesn’t have to be this serious. It’s me and you remember?”

It didn’t have to be said out loud, both of them had known all along.

She bowed her head on her outstretched paws and closed her eyes, “I’m so relieved.”

“Just to clarify,” He said still not looking at her, “I want what you want. That’s what I was trying to say. And if you’re willing to be with a fox then I think I could see myself with a dumb bunny.”

Judy went to wrap her arms around him in a hug but he calmly stopped her, “I’m pretty sure I just saw your father looking over here. You’d think with all the daughters that guy has he’d be busy chasing off other boyfriends.”

She rolled her eyes, “Believe me he does this with all of us but it might be different with you because you’re the first fox boyfriend.”

He smirked at her and improperly suggested, “We could just be ‘fox friends’ you know.” It was oozing with innuendo.

“I’m good at foxing.” He didn’t stop there, “I could fox you all night long.”

That was one of the next steps wasn’t it she remembered. His cheeky words hit too close to home on her heated body and she stiffened. 

It was his turn to laugh now.

“I’m sorry Carrots I just wanted to get a rise out of your scent again.” He confessed. 

His laughter didn’t stop and her nose crinkled in frustration, “You’re real mature Nick.”

“Judy, you’ve known me long enough to know the key to dealing with me is to ignore everything I say.”

“I do know that.” She said without missing a beat but he said her name again and another ripple of want crested inside her and she bit her lip.

Nick gasped abruptly and her ears noted his pounding heart.

“What set you off that time?” He asked with his voice breaking slightly.

Judy placed a paw to her neck.

“Can’t hide anything from you can I?” she asked.

He answered her with a shake of his head.

Their formality was torturing him but he was terrified but also excited of being alone with her again. He had to hide his paws in his pants pockets to hide the shaking of anticipation. She was saying something about if the key to handling him was to ignore him then something yadda yadda, he was too lost watching her mouth to care about the bantering.

“The key, the keys.” She said but it didn’t make sense. Her uncanny ability to remember things with tiny hints would always fascinate him but now she was saying something about keys?

“I left the keys in the ATV when we got back from picking blueberries. If I don’t put them back my brothers might take it for a joyride.” She was rolling her eyes again and offered, “I was a little distracted.”

Now he understood.

They walked out from the tent and thankfully the vehicle was right where she parked it.

Her paw retrieved the keys in one swoop, “I’m going to grab something to eat after this. I’m starving.” She conceded. Judy’s hunger had returned after all the anxiety was dissolved and her stomach was finally speaking up.

He only hoped there would be food left for them and followed her to the shed around the corner of the house feeling blissfully content with her and their new relationship. 

Nick stepped behind her into the small room and watched her hang the keys back on the hook where she got them. He noticed she looked like a mad scientist with how his white blazer hung on her and it made him snicker.

Judy passed by him to lead them both out back into the party but stopped short of the opening.

She turned to look at him.

Then shut the door.

Light from the reception shone in through the cracks in the wood, just enough for her to still see where he was and his pulse was going crazy hoping he knew what was about to happen.

She was indecisive at first and very impatient about it. But Nick could smell what she really wanted and it was amplified by the small room. 

Without warning he was being pulled down to her level as her paws gripped his collar forcing him to corner her up against the door. 

He felt the warm air from her mouth first then her lips as she kissed him. She was soft and it was awkward at first finding the perfect position but their mouths weren’t slowing down. They were bumping noses and he had to brace his arms against the door on either side of her frame because of how small she was.

There were small whimpers coming from her mouth in spurts now. He tried to slow them down so she could find time to breathe but when he felt her tongue dab his bottom lip he turned his mouth to dominate hers forgetting about air.

The moment she felt his tongue on her own she mewled and broke away to rub her chin from his nose to the junction between his eyes on the top of his snout.

Judy needed to smell more of herself on him.

He dropped to his knees, his claws scraping along the door.

She claimed him again and he shook violently.

His paws left the door and stripped her of his blazer letting it fall to the ground pooling around her feet.

Then he was lifting her by her rear end to straddle him.

At the same time, her paws were at his neck unbuttoning his shirt to expose his sternum where she roughly marked him with her scent there as well.

When she was done he lifted her head up by nudging her with his nose to kiss her again while gripping her hips with his paws.

More, she needed more.

She pushed her tongue into his mouth and grazed his sharp teeth causing a swell and release of fluid from between her legs and she cried out.

Nick waited for her to recover and she did so too quickly and immediately reached for his waist. She attempted to unbutton his jeans but he stopped her.

“No, wait. I’m not about to do this in a shed.” He growled.

She shook her head and panted, “Please please.” While rolling her hips on his lap. Fortunately he was wearing jeans which dulled the pleasure of it and saved him from going against his words seconds before.

Her body was out of control.

All he could do was hold her and keep still until she regained her senses.


	7. But

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Celepom for all your help. I dont have any idea why I forgot what shaking a blanket was called but thats why I have you lol.
> 
> Just have to say this isnt my favorite chapter. 
> 
> is it too much to ask for fan art LOL who am i right?

“Are you okay?” He asked when her breathing was slow and deep.

Nick ended up having to hold her flush against him to stop her from moving at all. Her head was cradled by his paw against his neck and collar where she marked him with her scent. His chin rested on her ears and his other paw held her firmly in place by her lower back just above her tail.

At first she wouldn’t stop. The part of her brain responsible for ceasing was now attached to her loins and Judy struggled to keep gyrating her hips in his lap. She was making it hard to stop her.

It wasn’t until he yipped directly in her ear that she finally stopped long enough for him to grab her and put her in the position she was now.

“Yes. I’m fine.” She answered with a peep.

Nick hesitated to let go of her just in case she was lying. He couldn’t tell, she still smelled like she was ready to rut as was he but he removed the paw off the base of her head and smoothed it over her shoulder as she sat up.

Her paws were on his chest stretching slowly over the damage she caused to his shirt.

“Nick, please forgive me.” She begged.

“Don’t you ever apologize for something you can’t control Carrots. And I’m not exactly complaining. I just think there are better places to do this.” 

She couldn’t be blamed for her instincts but that’s not what she was apologizing for.

“No,“ She exclaimed and then she was blubbering, “We didn’t have to put the keys away. I just, the way you touched me when we dancing. And it, well we were. Then you said my name and I, I had to get you alone but going into the house was risky you see. But then we were here and then your mouth then I lost it. I had to I had to do you understand?”

Judy was wincing at him and then he got it.

“You hustled me.” He said with a grin and moved his paw from her shoulder to her thigh.

“It’s not a hustle if you enjoyed it too.” She quipped back in reference to the hardness she could still feel through her leggings and his jeans. Oh she wanted to move her hips again.

“I think.” He started to say, “That we both have wanted this for a long time and got carried away.” 

She had to agree. But she bit her lip and couldn’t understand what had happened. Had she really repressed her instincts for so long that they overpowered her? 

Nick’s paw on her back traveled upwards and stroked her ear and she leaned into it.

“Don’t worry. We’ll do this again.” He promised.

Judy sighed in contentment, she hoped it would be soon. It needed to be soon.

Then he kissed her. But only a peck.

She felt her head with her palm and a dull pain announced its presence in her temple. This sexual tension would be the end of her.

He watched her rub her forehead and became concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

Judy waved him off, “It’s just a headache. Probably need to eat.” She said something like that earlier hadn’t she?

“We should go back then and find you some carrots, Carrots.” He said jokingly, “Besides I think if we leave the wedding one more time people will notice. And I’m not just talking about your dad.”

Nick then helped her to her feet and picked up his jacket off the floor. It didn’t appear to have gotten scuffed or anything but he still shook it out.

“You still have to wear this. You stink even worse now.” 

“And whose fault it that?” She said with a jab to his chest.

He ignored her and wrapped the blazer around her shoulders like before.

She hugged the jacket to her torso and offered, “Are you going to be okay? Should we wait?” Her eyes briefly looked down at his pants and then back at him. 

“You want to frisk me Officer Hopps just to make sure?”

“N-no!”

Yes.

She meant yes and he didn’t miss it when she looked down again.

Judy turned around in a huff and opened the door and he followed her out of the shed. He watched her look from side to side to see if anyone caught them and he thought it was silly because he was sure her ears would have heard anyone before they saw them. It was cute.

Nick had to admit that he liked frustrating her but put on a front when it came to his own inadequacies. Like the tent he was currently sporting in his pants, but he was confident that it would ebb by the time they walked back to the reception. 

He hoped.

However he couldn’t get the little pleasure noises she made out of his mind so he put his hands in his front pockets as a shield. How embarrassing.

They turned the corner just in time to see most of the animals congregating outside of the canopy where the three brides were handing off their bouquets to another bunny.

“It’s a Hopps tradition.” Judy explained after seeing his puzzled expression.

“Whoever is getting married next gets the bouquet from the bride, in this case three. We don’t toss the flowers in the air like most families do. There’s plenty of siblings to keep the tradition going and then some.”

This was the ending of the whole affair as the newlyweds were hugging family and friend’s goodbye while walking around to the front of the house. There were too many animals for Judy to get through but Katherine caught her eye and winked then blew a kiss.

The couples all clamored into one limo and drove away while the guests waved them off. 

Judy felt like it was too soon, that she didn’t get enough time. Nick sensed the distress and rubbed her back in small circles.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat.” He suggested. 

There were a lot less animals now, most had gone home after the newlyweds drove off but some still stayed to mingle with the Hopps family. 

Nick found an empty table where he told her to have a seat while he scrounged up some food for her. He came back to her with a large assortment of fixings and she was questioning his choices.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve seen you eat your height in donuts and I still don’t know where you put it.” He said while seeming to look for them on her body.

She grumbled but of course he was right because when he put one of the plate down in front of her she dug in with glee. He sat down next to her and picked at a few things himself but the sounds she was emitting were unfortunately making him think of other things.

Her ears twitched and in between chews she heard his heart. Judy looked at Nick and he had his head propped up by his paw just gawking at her and she almost choked. Judy crossed her legs and the heat that never left sizzled in her core.

“Wow, again?” He marveled at her fortitude.

Judy finished eating the mouthful she almost suffocated on and glared at him, “Will you stop?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

She politely scooted in her chair to face him and mirrored his pose.

“You have a tell just like I do, Mr. Wilde.” She revealed smugly.

“Unless you can read my mind I doubt it. But if you can I won’t apologize for what you’re seeing right now, Ms. Hopps.” He said laughing at her.

Judy’s smug grin was gone and she said, “How can you just say things like that?”

How can he be so comfortable? She blamed her inexperience and then thought that Nick must have a lot of experience but it didn’t hurt her it just intimidated her. Was she going to be good enough?

He placed his paw over hers which was resting on the table.

“I say them because I can now. And because a lot has changed in the past hour. Changed for the better of course but still the same in a way but with more touching.”

Judy liked that answer and attempted to eat the rest of her food but his paw didn’t let go of hers and he insisted, “You didn’t finish what you were going to say. Something about you having me all figured out, copper?”

She gave him the side eye and instead of telling him, Judy decided to set an example. It’s not like she didn’t have her own ace in the hole.

Nick waited for an answer but she only closed her eyes. All was was fine for a bit but then her scent spiked so aggressively that his ears flattened on his head.

“And there it is.” She gloated.

In her head it seemed like a good idea to think about him and her doing risqué things but now a headache was forming again. She tried to breathe deeply and ignore it.

“I don’t get it what happened?” He asked.

She smiled at him, “You think you got me by exposing my heat as a weakness but I’ll have you know that every time my body reacts, so does yours.”

His paw clutched hers on the table.

“How exactly?” 

She reached up and pointed to her ear.

“I can hear your heartbeat.” 

Nick burst out laughing.

“I knew you had good ears but I didn’t know they were that good!” 

She joined him in laughing and shrugged her shoulders. He released her paw and leaned back in the chair blown away at how she kept surprising him. 

Dammit, he wanted to get her alone.

“So what were you thinking about just then to make your scent go haywire?” He asked boldly.

She stammered, “We were kissing and uh other stuff.”

“Just stuff?” He sneered.

Judy flushed embarrassed.

“Kissing and we didn’t have to stop.”

Her innocent reply made him feel terrible like he was going to corrupt her. But he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he wanted to finish what she started in the shed and before he could understand how it sounded he asked her,

“What time does everyone go to bed around here?”

She looked at him with doe eyes and her breath caught in her chest.

Just then her parents walked over standing behind the pair and his question went unanswered. Nick greeted them smoothly with no hint of any previous sexual thoughts but Judy noticed that his heart was indeed still thundering out of control.

“Some wedding huh, Jude the Dude?” He father started with.

“It was great dad. The girls were beautiful.” Judy said as she spun around to face them.

Stu and Bonnie nodded in agreement to her statement but Stu piped up, “It’s never easy that’s for sure. But you know what they say I didn’t lose three daughters, I gained three sons!”

Nick smiled politely, as did Judy. 

It looked like they had approached them for more than just small talk because Stu asked the fox, “I was wondering if you could help the older kids put the wedding gifts in the house before it gets too late? The girls got a lot more than we bargained for and there was some confusion as to where they were going and who was taking them but we told the girls just to leave them here and pick them up when they got back.”

Nick stood up immediately and said, “Sure thing.”

Judy stood up as well but her father stopped her.

“There’s no need for both of you to do it.” And he looked at Nick and dictated, “Looks like the kids started already, just follow their lead and put everything in the house. We’ll be along shortly, just got to ask Judy something.”

The fox, after more than his fair share of criminals lying straight to his muzzle, could tell that her father was being less than honest. It was a battle that wasn’t worth fighting so Nick smiled and walked off swaying his tail behind him.

Judy on the other hand wasn’t as bashful.

“You guys aren’t exactly smooth, what’s going on?” She asked carefully.

Bonnie and Stu looked at one another.

“Judy.” They said as one.

“What?” The younger rabbit answered instantly.

Stu rubbed the back of his head and Bonnie clasped her paws in front of her.

Her father began by saying, “We never had to have this talk with you because you were always so focused on becoming a cop and we feel just as awkward as you because you are an adult now with your own life but.”

“But?” Judy copied him raising an eyebrow.

“We feel bad honey.” Her mom added.

“Bad about what?”

Once again her parents looked at each other then back at her.

“We know that you and Nick have come to some sort of understanding.” Stu said.

Judy was amazed at her parent’s ability to know everything without her telling them but she could also sense whatever they were about to say wouldn't be good.

“You see we were hoping it would happen because your happiness is what is most important to us but.”

“But?!” Judy asked more insistently.

“We respectfully ask you both to not make any adult decisions tonight. There are too many small and curious ears in this house.” Bonnie finally said with urgency.

Judy didn’t speak.

They continued, “We know this is a lot to ask because of your situation and we both know how tough it can be to abstain from mating during your heat course but none of the children know about the two of you and we don’t know how they’ll react to a fox doing those kinds of things to their sister.”

Their blunt words were a surprise and her normal thought process had to agree with them in some way. But her ovaries screamed in protest and whined to her brain to not believe it. Her parents were accepting but at the same time so naive to think he would be a wild animal in the bedroom. He wasn’t going to maim her she believed.

Anger bubbled in her throat.

“Judith we hope you understand.”

Could she really make it two nights and one more day without doing what her instincts demanded?

She didn’t answer them, she only nodded and walked away briskly.

Her footsteps were heavy as she entered the house, fueled by rage.

She didn’t see Nick which was for the best so she grabbed her bag from the floor of the guest room and practically ran downstairs to the finished basement of the house where her old bedroom was. 

When she entered the small room, small but bigger than her apartment in Zootopia, she threw her suitcase to the ground and reached up and tore the flower crown off her head in frustration. The urge to disrespect her parents was over bearing but she knew her sense of propriety as an obedient child and respectable police officer would never allow it.

She slumped her shoulders and dropped the crown of daises on the ground next to where luggage had landed.


	8. No

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's what you get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can i please just say that you have clicked a mature story to read. you clicked it. you chose this...
> 
> dont complain about it....i dont care lol im doing the best i can
> 
> ALSO FANART HAS BEEN DONE FOR THIS STORY
> 
> A gracious and beautiful friend of mine did the kitchen counter scene.  
> http://farkledagain.tumblr.com/post/144574187183/for-my-beautiful-progressoftomorrow-shes-been
> 
> And I drew a part from the shed scene  
> http://progressoftomorrow.tumblr.com/post/144568624817/scene-from-my-own-fanfic-reception-inception
> 
> i hope these links work, if not copy and paste them ok. Yes im on tumblr under the same name ProgressOfTomorrow ok ok??
> 
> trapezius is a real word

“Do you ever get scared as a cop?”

Nick had his arms full of various gift bags and boxes trudging inside the Hopps farm house when Judy’s younger brothers and nephews got in his path and asked him this question. The boy who asked him was surrounded by them all waiting for an answer. They were a swarm of flicking ears and twitching noses. 

He looked down at all them and was faced with a dilemma. Should he tell them the truth or lie about the dangers of being a police officer. They all waited patiently until Nick being the realist he is replied,

“Yes.”

Their eyes got impossibly wider at his honesty and he worried that what he said scared them in some way because none of them were moving and these gifts were getting heavy in his arms.

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” He blurted. “Sometimes things happen and uh thankfully I have your Judy to back me up.”

Why was he explaining it like he was on trial? 

“Look kids I-/”

“Do you like carrots?”

He was taken aback by the switch in severity of question and gawked at all the precocious children.

“Yes.” He answered directly again.

The kids seemed to concur with his reply and they all scurried out of his way so he could set the packages down in the family room at the front of the house. He went to go back outside for another round of gifts when he realized the group of kits were following him. 

He’d take a step, then they would.

When he grabbed a few more gifts from the table in the backyard they were still following him and some were giggling at how his tail would move behind him. It must have taken this long for them to warm up to him because earlier when he was picking blueberries with some of them they were stoic in his presence.

Nick had gone a few more rounds from the backyard to the family room with loads of presents when one of Judy’s older brothers who was helping with the gifts noticed the kids trailing behind him and put a stop to it. The little bunnies seemed fine and quickly moved on to the next thing to entertain themselves.

The fox smiled as the kids hoped away and the older brother who helped him shrugged his shoulders and continued with the task at hand, wasn’t long before they were done and all the gifts had been stored inside the house.

He could tell from her scent that Judy was in the house, she just wasn’t any where he could see. The level he was on was becoming overrun by bunnies of all ages and even her parents had come inside. 

They caught his attention and beckoned him from the kitchen.

Mrs. Hopps was the first to speak, “Nick thank you for your help. I think things are winding down now.”

“Most of the guests are gone but there are a few stragglers. We’ve had such a busy day, we didn’t think they’d mind if we settled down for the rest of the night. Our oldest son said he would close up shop.” Mr. Hopps added.

The pair must have been in the house for several minutes because there was a pot of coffee brewing and a few cups were set out on the counter.

Where earlier he had cornered Judy. Nick was getting anxious.

“It was a good wedding, uh, I have never been to one so nice.” Nick stammered. The statement was true. The last wedding he had been to was years ago when Finnick accidentally married a raccoon named Rita in Sahara Square after a very lucrative day of popsicle pushing. Or was it Rita the rat?

“We sure do appreciate you coming Nick. We really do see you as a part of our family, especially with how all the children flock to you. We can’t get them to stop talking about you!” Bonnie said excitedly as she retrieved creamer from the fridge.

A few older siblings would come into the kitchen and greet him politely but they were mostly checking to see if the coffee was done. He wondered how many rooms were actually in this house to be able to accommodate for them and even him.

“I’m glad I came.” Nick conceded. “Never been to a real farm before.”

Stu’s face lit up, “I can give you a proper tour tomorrow after we take down all those tents and put them back into storage. I’ll show you how we do things here.”

Nick smiled, “I’d like that.”

The coffee pot beeped ending its percolation and Bonnie offered Nick a cup which he didn’t turn down. He hoped Judy would join them from whatever hiding place she was but she didn’t and he would have been concerned if it weren’t her childhood home. Maybe she was busy with siblings, there were enough of them. 

They stood together chatting for a while. Mostly about his life in Zootopia, but sometimes Stu would interject about the farm and give words of wisdom about choosing the proper produce from the color alone which in the long run would benefit Nick greatly. 

Although, it had been at least thirty minutes since he finished his cup of coffee and Judy was still missing in action causing Nick to wonder if maybe she was waiting for him. That idea thrilled him. 

At that second Bonnie yawned and said, “We should probably get the young ones ready for bed. You let us know if you need anything ok? The guest bathroom is right next to your room and if you get hungry the kitchen is always open.”

Nick said goodnight and went to his room for the weekend. He trifled through his bag he had left there earlier looking for sleep clothes, his police issued gray sweat pants and dark blue ZPD t-shirt and sat on his bed to check the messages on his phone.

He had one text message from Ben back in Zootopia reminding him to bring back some blueberries and another from, actually, it was from Benjamin again that said ‘PLEASE’ in all caps with sad faced cat emoji’s. He rolled his eyes amused and locked his phone.

The room he was in was quaint and comfy, probably used exclusively for guests since the furniture and decorations were lacking in personality. A simple painting of a prairie with wild flowers hung over the bed which was too small for Nick but if he curled up it wouldn’t be anything to complain about.

This house was large but it made him feel gigantic because everything was built for animals smaller than him. From the counters to even this bedroom he was almost too big to function.

He stood up and stretched deciding now was a good time to shower and get ready for bed. Nick grabbed his sleep clothes and toiletries and took a step into the hallway. The bathroom was adjacent to his room like Mrs. Hopps had said so he went in and shut the door.

If anything in the house made him feel large he decided the bathroom was it. He looked in the stall and saw that the shower head was level with his face so he would have to duck to rinse properly. Again, it was nothing really to complain about.

His shower wasn’t long and when he was done he dried himself vigorously with one of the fluffy towels hanging on the wall. He spent a few minutes after he was dressed attempting to brush his fur to stay down because the static from rubbing the towel all over his body caused it to puff dramatically.

Judy had not left his mind and he was excited but at the same time apprehensive. Before, when he walked away from her and her parents to help with the gift situation, Judy’s facial expression was uneasy and he hadn’t heard what her parents had said to her so he was unsure.

That and he hadn’t seen Judy since then really troubled him.

He gathered his dirty clothes and went back to his room leaving his toiletry bag and wet towel in the bathroom. 

Nick put them on the bed next to his luggage and spun around to leave the room and search for Judy. He stopped just as he reached the door and pensively looked back at his discarded pants in a heap on the mattress. His paw closed and opened repeatedly at his side.

Slowly he went back to them and took out his wallet from the back pocket and shoved it into his sweat pants.

He headed to the back door of the house first to catch her scent and a faint whiff lead him to the basement. This is where he found out most of the bedrooms for the family were underground. The pathways and rooms went on for miles it seemed. 

Nick walked along going where her scent was leading him until he was brought to a door that was partially closed but not quite so ajar that he could see in. This had to be her room, his nose was never wrong.

His paw shook reaching for the handle and he had to take a moment to compose himself. He had to compose himself a lot lately. Within the past day, anyways.

As he walked in, he rapped his knuckles softly on the door and his nose was assaulted with a mixture of heat and aggravation. He closed the door behind him and looked around.

“What the hell?”

Those words slipped out of his mouth before his brain registered what he was seeing.

Judy was a mess. Her clothes were lopsided and wrinkled and she was breathing extremely loud.

He had caught her in the middle of doing pushups.

They made eye contact and she forced herself to go faster. Nonchalantly she said, “Hey Nick.” But never stopped moving. 

“What are you doing Carrots?” He asked.

“I’m exercising.”

“I can see that. Mind telling me why though?” Nick questioned speculatively. 

She whined then rolled over and started to do crunches.

Judy kept her eyes trained on the wall in front of her and said through panting, “First priority of a police officer besides safety and protection is staying in shape. You should join me.” 

He raised an eyebrow while stepping closer to her.

“No thanks, I just showered.”

Her movements faltered for split second, then she quickly regained her momentum as Nick stood over her. Every time she uncurled from a crunch they locked eyes. She finally gave up with a cry and laid down on the ground completely out of breath.

He knelt down and bent over her.

“Judy what are you doing? And don’t repeat what you just said because that’s not the truth.”

She covered up the moan from him saying her name with a grunt of irritation. It was made worse by his cleanliness. He had washed her scent off of him and she was fighting every muscle in her body to remain on the ground and not rub her herself all over him again.

Judy suddenly rolled away from him and uttered, “I told you I’m just exercising. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll go take a shower myself.”

He watched her hastily grab what he assumed were a change of clothes and vacate the room. 

Something was off, and as Nick stood up he was lost.

This is not how this was supposed to go.

He looked around her room, her petite organized room and he assumed it looked the same as it did when she moved away to the city. It had what looked like a trundle bed and other normal bedroom furniture but in the corner was a desk with all kinds of paperwork and books.

As he got closer he recognized some of the books from his police academy days but hers were covered in notes and various messages. There were officer test books ranging from several years and his heart swelled realizing how long she had studied to be a cop.

He was distracted reading over her handwriting when Judy came back into the room in a huff.

“That was quick.” He noted without looking at her.

Judy wasn’t about to tell him that having her own paws on her body was destroying her as long as the memory of his paws stayed in her head.

“I come from a large family remember? Taking quick showers is a skill you learn.” She said while neatly placing her dirty clothes from the day on top of her bag. Her fur was somewhat damp but it was short enough to dry in no time.

She walked over to her bed where she had laid his blazer on her quilt and gathered it in her paws. It still had his and her scent mixed together and it was doing funny things to her knees so she brought it with her over to the desk Nick was at and placed it over the chair.

Judy wasn’t sure how she was going to tell him what her parents had asked of her. 

“Are you going to tell me the truth about your little outburst now?” He asked plainly, still not looking at her. 

She pressed her mouth together in a thin line.

“I was trying to tire myself out. So I wouldn’t,” She stopped and gulped. “So I wouldn’t be out of control.”

His heart skipped a beat.

No don’t.

He put down the book he had been skimming through and looked at her at last.

Nick first noticed her worry. Then he noticed her pajamas, a button down shirt and pants. They were a matching set, all pink with tiny white lines. 

“Why? Did you change your mind?” He said while spinning his entire body to face her. Nick would never force her when it came to all this but, he couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face.

She saw it too.

“No. I didn’t.” She expressed with a bite of her lip.

Her parents be damned, all this was too much.

Judy, like before in the shed, pulled him down by his shirt. He was ready this time and instead pulled her up and held her by her bottom as her legs straddled his torso. She kissed him then, and they went right back to where they stopped previously.

Their kissing was somewhat less aggressive than before. She imagined her exercising had managed to give her more control, it at least made her slower. That didn’t mean she wasn’t enjoying it. Her small noises were proof of that.

But his paws weren’t moving from her hind quarters and she needed them everywhere, at the same time.

Judy broke the kiss to whimper, “Touch me Nick, please.”

Nick answered her by bringing her over to the bed. He set her down on the mattress and crawled over her. She accommodated for their positon and spread her legs so that he was enclosed by them. He towered over her but still didn’t touch her.

“I’m not doing anything until you tell me what’s up.” He said trapping her.

She whined loudly and made several other noises in protest.

“It’s fine just please. Please.” She cried while reaching for his chest.

He grabbed her paws, restraining them gently at her sides and she felt tortured.

“No, not until you tell me. I promise that if you tell me the truth I’ll do whatever you want.” He purred.

She looked up at him wearily, “If I tell you, you won’t.” She was trapped but he still didn’t move.

“F-fine.” She began. “My parents told me we weren’t allowed, not in their house.”

“You mean?”

“Yes.” She breathed. “They said something about my younger siblings not understanding but I really believe it’s because they think you’ll howl at the moon during or after I’m not sure.”

His eyes widened and his ears flattened on his head. He looked away from her extremely embarrassed.

She almost screeched, “Nick, does something like that actually happen?!”

“It’s not on purpose.”

“You actually howl?!”

“No!” He replied too loudly looking back at her. “I’m not a wolf. It’s more of a really excited yell.”

He thought she would laugh and make fun of him. Imagine his surprise when her scent flared the same moment her hips bucked under his. He almost let go of her arms to touch her.

“That’s not helping, Carrots.” He breathed through clenched teeth.

“I don’t care. And I don’t care what my parents want I only care about you.” She sulked openly.

Judy squirmed against his hold as he said gruffly, “Maybe this is for the best because once I reach a certain point I won’t be able to stop. Also I really don’t want to disrespect your parents.”

Nick made a motion to rise off of her but she locked her legs around his abdomen causing him to tumble over on top of her. He muffled an inaudible curse word where his head fell between her head and shoulder as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Judy quickly took advantage of his shock by putting her paws underneath his shirt to run her palms over his stomach then around to his lower back where she found the base of his tail coming out of his pants.

The sound he made when she squeezed him there was so low and guttural she couldn’t stop the way it shook her.

Nick shifted and this time, due to her haze, she let him rear back on his haunches to stare down at her. He put his paws on each thigh just under her derriere and dragged her to his legs where he pressed into her fully. They both moaned unanimously because their pajama bottoms were not doing a good job of hiding anything. 

He looked down at her bare stomach. The act of him pulling her towards him caused her shirt to ride up and gather at her chest. There was a mix of greys and the middle was almost white. He placed one paw flat on her stomach covering it entirely and she arched her back into it.

“You’re so small, Judy.” Nick rasped.

“Ahhn, oh.” She replied with her eyes closed. He was finally touching her and she wasn’t functioning properly any more.

The paw on her stomach swirled and coasted upwards over her fur until it connected with the edge of her shirt. It disappeared under it completely and Judy never thought she was so sensitive there but the pads on his paw proved her wrong as soon as they touched her breasts.

She rocked her hips on his crotch and he put his other paw on her hip to intensify the feeling for both of them.

It had been a long time since he had rutted with anyone and an even longer time from doing it with someone he actually cared for. This is why he put himself in control, if she had it her way he would have come in his pants some time ago. The power Judy had over him was humiliating.

All he had to do was keep her paws out of his pants and he would be fine.

That’s all he had to do.

That’s exactly where her paws went and for someone so inexperienced her boldness was disarming.

He was too busy feeling her up to notice until her small soft palms slipped in his waistband and gripped him making his hips immediately thrust.

“Sthh. Ahh. Uhhn.” He objected. He might have been trying to say ‘stop.’

“Oh my.” She said with wide eyes.

Judy stroked him halfway and he promptly dropped down on his elbows to nip at her neck with his teeth. This made her squeeze him involuntarily and he moaned harshly on her collar. A predator had his teeth on her and all she could think about was him clamping down harder.

The predator in question, Nick, was a mess. A hot mess of panting and quiet yelps.

He’d rub his scent on what he could reach from her ear to her chest from time to time but other than that he was concentrated on the ministrations of her paws.

As for Judy seeing him this way was almost as good as him touching her. Bringing him to his knees was a rush and she didn’t want to stop. She felt as if she were close to something every time he rolled his hips into her paws.

She let go of him to his displeasure but he was now rocking straight against her core and she could taste something in the air. It was so close.

“Juhh. Judy.” He said huskily before clamping back down on her trapezius muscle causing her to approach her undoing at a faster rate.

“Judy!”

One day she would tell him how much she loved when he would use her real name.

Abruptly her ears were flicking and twitching.

Oh sweet cheese and crackers.

That wasn’t him that said her name a second time.

Judy stopped moving to hone her ears on where it was coming from. It sounded like an arsenal of tiny feet trotting their way and Nick was on top of her and her paws were on his dick.

“Nick!” She hissed.

The tone of her voice had him release her and he looked at her face.

“I can’t be sure but I think my siblings are coming, did you lock the door?!”

He shook his head no.

“Go go!” She cried.

“You have to let me go first!” He winced.

They disentangled in a blur and she threw a pillow at him to cover his lap. 

She had just a few seconds but she managed to jump off the bed and run to the desk and sit down in the chair where she put his blazer earlier. Her paws opened a book the same time her door opened and just like she thought, a platoon of her youngest siblings flooded into her room.

With her mother.

Her heart pounded and she felt dizzy.

Bonnie seemed not to notice and smiled warmly at both of them. She trusted her daughter so why should she worry?

Judy half focused on what her mother was saying because her eyes blurred.

She closed the book and put it back on the desk. When she stood up all the adrenaline left her small body and she took a step but tripped and fell to the ground.

Her heart was pounding hard but her eyes were so heavy. The ceiling above her was twirling and the headache was back.

The last thing she heard before she passed out was her name from Nick.

She really did love it when he said it.


	9. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some rest for the wicked and weary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there was so much more i wanted to say in this chapter but it derailed itself from where i wanted it to go so this is what we have now. sorry if it feels rushed.

There was no better cure to rid yourself of a hard on like being incredibly scared. All the blood rushes from your lower half straight into your heart at the thought of being caught and you shake for a few seconds but you weren’t seen with salami in your trousers so everything was fine.

He was getting angry though.

His frustration at not being able to do what his body wanted was maddening and he knew what Judy must be going through. And he felt terrible about it.

He sat on the bed trying to catch his breath as she jumped over him to land at the desk. Her paws were shaking and he thought it was strange.

The children entered the room first, each a jovial ball of fluff. This was okay with him because these kids were too young to realize what he could have been doing in there, but then Bonnie walked in the room last and he almost lost his cool.

Mrs. Hopps never gave any show of her knowing what was happening, or what had happened. 

What he wanted to happen.

“The kids just begged to say goodnight Judy. They sure have missed their older sister.” Bonnie said while nodding hello at Nick.

He looked at Judy and it seemed like she was frozen in time. Her eyes were glazed and she hardly moved. Nick almost asked her what was wrong but she seemed to be on auto pilot as she closed the book she was holding and put it down.

Nick looked back at Bonnie, who was noticing her strange behavior as well, then back at Judy when he heard her chair scrape on the ground.

She was standing now. As she took her first step she lost her footing and slammed into the ground in front of her siblings. Some of them yelled in surprise.

So did Nick.

He leapt from the bed screaming, “Judy?!”

Nick reached her before her mother and rolled her over on her back. Her eyes were unfocused and almost closed.

He was attempting to wake her and checking her airway when Bonnie knelt down, “What happened?”

“I don’t know. She’s breathing and her pulse is fine. I think she just passed out.”

Her mother’s paws felt her forehead and cheeks and asked, “Why? What was she doing?”

Thankfully some of the siblings were getting upset and Bonnie turned to soothe them, forgetting her question for now. As soon as the kits were settled she looked at Judy and told Nick, “I’m going to call the doctor. It’s late but he’s had to come to our house for worse emergencies.”

She stood up and hesitated to stay then left the room taking the children with her.

First aid, he remembered.

If you think the animal has fainted put them on their back.

Check.

Make sure they are breathing and they are not choking on their tongue.

Check.

Elevate their legs above their heart level to help blood flow.

Nick grabbed the pillow she had thrown at him before and folded it and put it under her ankles.

Judy still wasn’t waking up but he could hear low wheezes coming from her mouth. Was she snoring? 

“Judy?” He asked.

She didn’t stir.

He couldn’t freak out. Freaking out would be bad for her. Nick grabbed her limp paw and willed her to wake up. It was just that he’d never seen her show any sign of weakness like this.

Judy had always been strong and resilient.

What felt like hours later, Mrs. Hopps rushed back into the room with an older looking porcupine whom Nick guessed was the doctor she had spoken of.

“Nick, this is Dr. Polk. Doctor, this is Nick. Judy’s,“ She fumbled. “This is her partner on the ZPD. “ 

Bonnie wasn’t sure this older man would understand her daughters relationship to the fox.

The doctor made no pleasantries and went straight to Judy’s side checking her vitals, the same as Nick had done. Except he pulled a stethoscope from his bag and checked the rhythm of her heart and uttered, “Strong heart this one. I think it would be safe to move her to the bed.”

Nick put her in his arms and moved her to the mattress and took a step to the side to allow the doc room to assess her further.

Her parents watched on from the doorway.

“Has she done this before?” Dr. Polk asked.

The question was directed at Nick so he answered, “No.” He looked to Mr. and Mrs. Hopps and they didn’t disagree.

“She just stood up and then fell.”

The doctor nodded his head thinking quietly, pondering over the questionable situation.

Then he moved his paw to her eye and opened the lid. He seemed pleased with what he saw and focused his attention lower and opened her mouth. He lifted her lip to look at her teeth and gums and after he was satisfied with that he removed his paw and stroked his own chin.

“How long has she been in heat?” He asked deliberating on his decision.

Nick didn’t answer right away because a lump formed in his throat.

“How d-did you?” He blurted.

Adjusting his spectacles, he recalled, “The pupils are dilated. And her gums are a deeper color than normal.”

He repeated his question, “How long now?”

“Today.” Nick stumbled amazed at his prowess. “She started today.”

Dr. Polk murmured to himself and checked Judy’s pulse one last time.

“Where is her life mate? Does she have one yet?” He inquired.

The old term took Nick by surprise. The porcupine was a product of his time but the fox didn’t pause when he answered,

“Here. I’m here. It’s me.”

There was no judgement from the spiked animal, only more thinking and mumbling. He looked at the fox and asked straight and to the point, “When was your last rut?”

This was the question that made Nick massage his temple and flush with mortification. He had to answer this and be truthful so she could get properly diagnosed. He didn’t dare look at her parents.

“My boy, you’re both consenting adults and this is nothing to be ashamed of.” The doctor insisted not seeing a use for his nervousness.

Nick cleared his throat a few times.

“We haven’t. Ever. I mean, we were going to but we didn’t.”

“And this was before she fell?” Dr. Polk said the moment he heard his answer.

Nick shook his head yes.

The doctor nodded then explained, “It’s nothing to be alarmed about. I’ve seen this plenty of times. It’s a term we call Heat Fever. Her body is tired. The pressure mounts from prolonging rutting. You have to understand that during a female’s heat period her brain is constantly sending signals to do just that. When they are ignored it creates unnecessary stress. She fainted. And her body chose to stay asleep because it was the best option for now. It’s easier to avoid when there’s no mate involved but I surmise you’ve been holding off for some reason or another?”

Nick tried to stammer through his own explanation but the doctor smiled and held up his paws.

“I wouldn’t worry about the logistics of it all. You’d be surprised how compatible you are, both being mammals and all that. If you both decide to try again or if you decide to wait there is no maybe. You either do or don’t because if you ‘maybe’ she could end up like this again.”

And he gestured to Judy laying on the bed.

The information locked in Nick’s brain as the doctor retrieved his bag and spoke to Judy’s parents.

“I’d say she’ll be alright by morning. She’s going to need rest but it’s my professional opinion that she will be just fine. She’s not the first woman to go through this and she won’t be the last. If something happens and she gets worse give me a call and I’ll tell you what to do from there.”

Stu Hopps thanked Dr. Polk and offered to walk him out of the house and as they left the bedroom Bonnie walked over to Nick who was putting Judy under the covers.

“My poor girl, she’s been fighting it so hard. I can’t even begin to imagine because I’ve always had Stu.”

Nick sat on the edge of the bed and let go of a deep breath, “I’m sorry. I’m sure you heard what I said to the doc, one thing led to another and then.” He trailed off uncertainly. Nick never had to tell a girl’s mother that he’d been close to rutting her.

Never had a girl pass out on him either. Judy was sure giving him a lot of ‘firsts.’

Bonnie brushed the top of Judy’s head with her paw and made sure her daughters ears weren’t being pinched underneath her. She stayed there for only a few more moments then told Nick, “I know you’ll take care of her, just remember what Dr. Polk said. If she gets worse just come get me and her father.”

She touched Judy’s forehead one last time then retreated. As she got to the door to the room she turned to Nick and said, “I told Judy not to make any adult decisions. But I was young, I know it’s not fun to stop.”

He went to apologize profusely, probably for the rest of his life when she halted him by saying,

“But I told her not to make any adult decisions…as long as the kids are in the house.”

Bonnie gave him a knowing smile and then stepped out of the room closing the door as she left.

He didn’t give much thought to what she said because Judy had made a small hum of a noise when the door clicked making him think she was waking.

She didn’t though.

Nick remained at her side the rest of the night. He fell asleep a few times near her feet with his legs dangling over the bed but there was a point during every hour that passed that he would shake awake and check on her.

Around what he assumed was the morning time due to all the noise traffic in the hallway outside her bedroom, she began to toss in the cocoon of the comforter around her.

He was at her side in no time whispering, “Judy?”

“Mmmph.” She moaned. 

Nick deftly ignored her scent when it spiked and lovingly nuzzled her cheek with his own and said her name again.

She opened her eyes and blinked, acclimating her position to him, then stared up at his face twitching her nose.

“Hey Judy.” Nick spoke softly.

She stretched and said, “Hey Nick.”

The first thing she observed when she woke, besides Nick, was the hum of pain in her head. It wasn’t debilitating but it was strong enough for her to notice. She sat up in her bed and Nick backed off to give her space.

“Do you remember what happened?” He asked.

Judy jostled her head in a no formation and he started to tell her. As he spoke it started to sound familiar and then the memories came back all at once.

“So I fainted?”

“That’s what the doctor said.” 

She clasped her paws in her lap and considered burying herself in the carrot field for real this time. They had made out, her parents knew and she fainted like a fool. 

And old Doctor Polk the Porcupine told everyone she did it because she was too horny to function. 

Yes, it was a great time to consider dying.

“Are you feeling okay?” 

She looked up at him when he asked her that and rolled her shoulders to shrug, “Just embarrassed. Head hurts and I need the bathroom.”

Nick got off the bed and she did too to jump down wearily. He stood next to her making sure she didn’t fall again. Judy felt coddled and almost asked him to relax, but the sincerity on his face really struck a soft spot in her and she meekly led them both to the bathroom out of her room and down the hall.

When she was done, she came out and he was still there of course and a few siblings had joined him.

“We should go upstairs and tell my mom and dad I’m okay.”

Nick agreed and together they, her siblings included, left the basement and found her parents in the kitchen.

Mr. and Mrs. Hopps were happy to see her and joyfully hugged her.

Bonnie beamed, “Let’s not talk about last night. I’m just so pleased to see you up and about. Watching you fall last night was a shocker.”

“Well she’s going to rest today, aren’t you Carrots?” Nick offered. It came out of his mouth with a slight demanding undertone and Judy tilted her head.

Nick didn’t falter and she drooped her ears.

“Yes I’ll rest. I’ll take it easy don’t worry Nick.”

He nodded his head once in her direction then instantly he warmed his features to ask Mrs. Hopps for some coffee. Last night had left him exhausted and he hoped the caffeine would help.

The older doe didn’t fuss and began to prepare it for him. Stu asked her to make enough for him as well and the four of them settled at the table where Nick’s blueberries were.

Judy kept her head down and smoothed out the hem of her pajama top listening to her father and partner talk as they drank their coffee and ate some of the pastries Gideon had left there yesterday. They were discussing a tour of the farm that her dad had promised Nick. The city boy, who she never thought would be interested, was telling her father he was looking forward to it.

“But first things first we have to put away all the tents, chairs and tables from the wedding. Some of my sons started already without me. I just wanted to make sure my Jude was okay.” Stu expressed to the three of them.

When Judy tried to offer her help Nick shot her down, “I’m serious Carrots. You’re going to relax.”

He put his paw over hers in her lap and her intuition made her believe that last night must have scared Nick to some extent. If she put herself in his paws and had to witness him collapse, she knew that she would be protective too.

Just then his heart began to beat powerfully. She must have had a scent flare because of his paws on hers and she winced when he withdrew it like he had been burned.

They couldn’t even touch now? 

Judy sat in silence until her father announced that he and Nick better get a move on and the fox excused himself to go change out of his sleep clothes.

Bonnie slid her a glass of water and a couple of aspirin, “You keep rubbing your head honey bun. Just thought this would help.”

She thanked her mom and smiled weakly while taking them, then she set the glass back down on the table.

“You still look a little green. Maybe you should go back to bed?” Her mother suggested.

“I’ll be fine.” She said as she stood up. “Just give me a minute and I’ll help you feed the kids.”

Judy left the kitchen and went to Nick’s guest room. She opened the door just in time to see him hoist a faded pair of jeans over his boxers. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt but that’s not what she was looking at.

“Cheese! Judy!?” He yelped and turned his back to her to button his pants and zip his fly.

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” 

“Now I know not knocking runs in the family!” Nick hollered still facing the wall.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen worse in the locker rooms at work! Besides, some prude you are! You weren’t complaining last night when I was touching yo/.”

He had rushed over to her and placed his paw over her mouth.

“Ok shh. You just startled me. I thought one of your siblings was barging in.”

Nick paused for dramatic affect.

“Again.”

She rolled her eyes as he took his paw off her mouth.

“I said sorry okay.”

“Oh I know you did Carrots, but part of me thinks you walked in here hoping for more.”

It hadn’t been her plan but she still raised her eyebrows at him. 

“Don’t get excited. I can smell it, you’re getting excited. Please calm down or else you’ll faint.” Nick cautioned.

He looked so panicked for her health that Judy was overcome with helplessness.

She attempted to assure him, “Nick I’m fine. I promise.”

“Ok. Just also promise me you’ll try to keep your mind out of the gutter today. Take a cold shower if you start picturing me naked alright?”

Nick was trying to lighten the mood with jokes and it was working. She laughed and punched his side gently. He surprised her by bending down and kissing her, but only for an instant.

“Now if you’ll excuse me lil’ lady, this here fox is about to put in a hard day’s work with yer pawpaw.” Nick said with a feigned country accent. Judy tried to punch him again but he dodged it and walked away. She  
followed him until he got to the back door and waved him off. He reciprocated it with a wink.

Judy went back into the kitchen to help her mom like she said and got to work helping smaller siblings with getting some breakfast. It was chaotic but it was so ingrained in her upbringing that she felt comfort in it.

After everyone was satisfied and the kitchen was back in order, the day stretched on. Judy had to admit she was feeling better. Her head didn’t hurt and there were so many things to talk about with her brothers and sisters that she didn’t have one impure thought throughout the day.

That wasn’t true, she had several impure thoughts but they didn’t control her. 

Instead she could focus on unwinding. There was a stressful phone call from her newlywed sister Katherine, she had heard through the bunny grapevine that Judy had fainted, who asked if she should postpone her honeymoon and Judy pretty much yelled at her to keep her plans and not worry so much.

Other than that it was good. She was fine. She was relaxed.

She just missed Nick and could only wonder what he was doing out there on the farm.

Sometime after lunch she went back to her room and snuck in a nap. Then she bathed and returned to her room to get lost in a book she brought on this trip.

The ZPD Manual. Over 400 pages of this years updated mandates and laws.

Light reading.

Hours passed of her diligently studying each page when the nightstand where she left her phone vibrated as her cell received a text message.

She put the book down reluctantly and grabbed it and unlocked it.

The message was from Nick.

(Where are you?)

Judy almost dropped her phone in excitement. She jumped from the bed and left her cell there without replying and hoped she looked alright as she made her way to the main floor of the house. 

Nick wasn’t in his room but the shower squeaked on. He must have texted her before jumping in. She left the hallway before she made a fool of herself.

The kitchen was her go to, lots of things to distract her in there and she walked in on her family eating dinner.

“Jude the dude. My girl, how are you feeling?” Her father asked when he noticed her.

“I’m fine dad. I had a really good day. How was the tour?”

He laughed and bellowed, “I have to hand it to your fox. He’s a hard worker. He never complained once. Even when the tour turned into doing odd jobs. You got yourself a good one there Judy.”  
She smiled because she couldn’t disagree and leaned against the counter. Her mother pushed a plate of food into her hands and she proceeded to eat.

Nick entered the kitchen later and she almost bobbed up and down on her heels. He was dressed in another pair of sweats and a t-shirt from the last ZPD softball game.

“Hi.” He said meekly. “You look good, except for the bed head. Did you get enough rest?”

Judy smoothed down her fur with one paw and said somewhat sassily, “I got plenty of rest without you around dumb fox.”

His smile was halfhearted and she knew right away.

“Nick? Are you okay?”

A yawn was her first reply then he told her, “I’m exhausted. It’s tough work being a country bunny. I don’t think foxes were made for this.”

She giggled and just stared at him, so unbelievably happy that he was with her again. 

He tried to share her enthusiasm but only yawned a second time.

Bonnie walked over then, and placed a plate in his paws too and he scarfed it down. He even asked for seconds and ate that plateful just as fast.

His eyes were half closed and he was content to stand there and listen to everyone talking but Judy could tell he was dead on his feet. She coerced him into agreeing to leave the kitchen and they were able to sneak out unnoticed.

Judy had no ulterior motive to taking him to his room. She just wanted him to get some rest like she had. Her sexual frustrations were the furthest thing from her mind.

And when they entered his room Nick crashed into his bed face first and buried his head in his pillows.

She smiled and he groaned into the cotton fabric.

His room was littered with his clothes and she tried to get them all in one place when she noticed his white shirt from this morning wasn’t so clean anymore He really did work hard today and it caused a feeling of pride to swell inside her.

Judy didn’t notice him roll over on his side until she saw his tail flicking back and forth. He was clutching one of the extra pillows and watching her every move.

“What?” She asked.

He didn’t say anything, he only patted the empty space next to him and she got the hint.

“Is this too much?” He questioned only worried about her.

“No.” She said shaking her head. “It’s actually nice. Also, I left the door open so no funny business. I’m actually thinking quite clear you see?”

He blinked slowly and smirked as she sat down on the bed. 

“Nick, were you afraid that if you were around me that I would get sick? I didn’t even see you during lunch.” She asked sadly.

“Of course.” He mumbled partially into the pillow. “Last night was serious and I care too much about you. Plus by lunchtime we had to run into town and pick up some supplies so we ate there.”

“Oh.” She sighed.

He reached out his paw and grabbed her gently by the waist to make her lay down which she did willingly. They laid like that for a while, face to face, his arm draped over her side when he reported, “Your scent is getting stronger. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” She repeated sleepily as she tucked herself under his head. Judy buried her nose in the thick fur on his neck and marked him with her chin. Looked like she would have to do that every time he showered and she didn’t mind at all.

There was a low rumbling in his chest as he left his scent on the top of her head, causing a shiver to envelope her. She hummed into his collar trying to make the same noise and it make him chuckle.

The door remained open the rest of the night because not too long after they marked one another, they closed their eyes and fell asleep.


	10. love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We'll learn together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: THIS DISCUSSION MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS TO CHAPTER. READ AT OWN RISK.
> 
> This chapter contains graphic content. I did my absolute best to write it properly.
> 
> There might be things some of you do not agree with in this chapter. I'll admit I am on the fence when it comes to the subject matter at hand, inter species procreation. But Zootopia comes from the same company as Treasure Planet where two different races and species of alien are able to have children. 
> 
> So I tried to explain as best as I could why it could be possible in this story but it doesn't kill the mood, it only adds to it.
> 
> Also there is a small cameo of Po and Tigress that is another inter species couple I ship. Im full of sin. Its barely a cameo if you can spot it. haha...

“Hummee nee.” 

Judy was mumbling.

She was still in dream land but her incoherent blabbering had roused the fox she was sleeping with.

Their position was not how it was when they went to bed. He was on his side and somehow during the night Judy had curled around his cranium as if he were wearing her like a hat. Her stomach formed against his brow and her face was buried behind his head in his neck.

That meant when she mumbled it was hard not to hear with her being placed so close to his ears.

Judy blubbered again and he slowly opened his eyes to see her legs in front of his snout. He looked up and his nose came into contact with her pelvis.

Nick froze, he didn’t dare move again.

But the action of his head shifting caused Judy to snuggle closer onto him and he was surrounded by her body and scent.

He was wide awake now.

And he was resisting the urge to reach up and touch her.

Nick closed his eyes and tried to breathe through his mouth, however all the hot air he exhaled mixed with her scent and enclosed around him because of the barrier she created with her body. There was no way he could stay there and his own body not react.

Slowly, he slipped out of her hold and gave her a pillow to replace the empty space his head left. 

This reminded him of the other time he had woken up beside her, not counting this weekend.

They had been moving him into his new apartment issued by the housing authority of the ZPD. It was a few blocks away from her own. He didn’t have a lot of possessions, but by the time the last box was in the studio, they were exhausted and ended up sharing a meal on the floor since no furniture wasn’t set up.

Granted he didn’t wake up in her arms the next morning. He still woke up on the hard ground to see her curled up near him and it was jarring waking up to see his partner so vulnerable.

That was some time ago, he was much happier being able to wake up with her and it not be an accident.

Nick rubbed the sleep from his eyes and peered around the small guest room while Judy continued to sleep. Sunlight was seeping through the curtains and he felt nature call so carefully he got off the bed, trying not to disturb her.

When he left the bathroom he stretched and made his way to the kitchen. 

Something was off.

It was too quiet for a home that housed a couple hundred rabbits. He should have seen a couple of them on his short journey to the kitchen. Maybe they were eating breakfast?

No one was in there. No mom, no pop and no kits.

Maybe they were outside?

Nick looked out the large window that showed the expanse of the property and once again there were no bunnies there. He didn’t understand, so he walked to the front of the house and opened the door.

No Hopps family in sight.

He scratched the back of his head in confusion and went back to kitchen where he finally saw the inconspicuous note on the table and picked it up to read it.

 

\- Judy, Nick  
Me and your father took the  
Kids to the Farmer’s Market.  
We didn’t want to wake you.  
Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen   
We’ll be back before you leave for the city!  
Love, Mom and Dad

 

Nick put the note down where he found it and walked over to the fridge to see if he could scrounge up something real quick to munch on. There was some fruit saran wrapped in a bowl and he took it out to pick at it.

He wondered if her family was participating in the market or if they were…

They weren’t here.

He put the bowl back in the fridge and rushed over to the note and re-read it. His eyes scanned it several times then he dropped it and it floated back to the table.

What kind of cop was he to not get it, to not understand the implications of what was happening? He stood there a few more minutes as the words from Bonnie Hopps repeated in his mind like a broken record.

“I told her not to make any adult decisions…as long as the kids are in the house.”

But the kids weren’t in the house were they?

Had Bonnie planned this on purpose? He wasn’t willing to wait and find out.

Nick went back to the room where Judy was still snoring and walked in closing the door behind him. He took a step forward but turned back around to lock the door just in case there was some unforeseeable interruption.

He walked over to the bed with his heart pounding and paws shaking, trying to find the courage. Now it was the doctor’s advice playing in his memory.

“If you decide to wait there is no maybe. You either do or don’t because if you ‘maybe’ she could end up sick again.”

Nick couldn’t breathe.

Judy had shifted in her sleep while he was gone and her back was facing him. He looked at her and the pajamas she was wearing, a purple tank top and shorts that were blue with clouds, were almost too innocent for him to rejoin. 

There was no way to approach this properly so he finally just climbed into the bed and pulled her to his chest. He was on his side with Judy on her back giving him the best view of her when she woke up. For a minute or two he was fine just listening to her little hums of breathing but time was ticking away.

Carefully, he put the side of his mouth to the bridge of her nose and left a trace of his scent and then did the same to her jaw and chin. He couldn’t help himself as he travelled lower and did it to her neck as well. 

Her heat became stronger, but her eyes were still closed and the snoring didn’t stop.

That didn’t deter him from kissing her neck and nipping at the bend to her shoulder. He wished she would wake up so he could kiss her mouth. The scent coming off of her was intoxicating and he wanted to bury his nose there like he should have done when he woke up.

“Ahuhhnn.” 

That moan had come from her and he almost wagged his tail.

He stopped kissing her neck to look at her face and her eyes were squinting at him. 

“Whahh? N-nick what?” She asked groggily. 

“It’s time to wake up, Carrots.” He whispered.

She yawned and nodded unknowingly. But her body was already feeling overheated and she didn’t understand why until she heard the vigorous beating of his heart. She stopped moving and looked at him.

He was propping his head up with one paw while the other rested on her belly, covering it completely, his clawed thumb messing with the fringe of her top. The smile on his face was oozing with a multitude of emotions causing her to gasp.

Nick put his mouth on hers the second she did. He was urgent and firm causing a flood of pleasure to rise in her. It was so sudden that she cried out and clenched her legs together. His tongue took advantage of her open mouth and licked hers.

He was half hovering over her now, pushing her further into the mattress with every slip of his tongue and she was fighting to keep up. Her paws tried to feel him or touch him anywhere but he stopped her.

Judy whined when his paw locked her arms down. All at once she didn’t care for how much smaller she was than him if he was going to stay in control. His eyes looked at her and he broke the kiss to ask her, “What’s wrong?”

She chose this moment to unload all her questions.

“How come you won’t let me touch you and also how come you’re doing this? Aren’t you afraid of my family running in here?” Her chest was heaving and blood pumped viciously in the nerves of the flesh in her pelvic region. 

His answer was to maneuver himself to his knees next to her. She gave him a questioning look with one eyebrow raised. He ignored everything she asked except for one and answered, 

“No one is here but us.”

The significance of those words were accompanied by him removing his shirt and tossing it to the ground. It might have been too audacious of a turn because she stopped moving except for to breathe.

Nick saw her uneasiness and cast his eyes down and said, “Unless you weren’t sure. I’m not doing anything more unless that’s what you want.”

Judy didn’t say anything. She only got up and sat on her knees like him and grabbed his paws.

“I’m sure, Nick. Just please, don’t let me rush this. My body is screaming at me to hurry and if I do I’m sure I’ll ruin everything.” 

She realized this when she saw his fluffy bare chest. 

Although, her lower half actually yelled for her to pounce on him and impregnate herself if he wasn’t going to do it right now.

Being in heat with a boyfriend was something she never had to do before and it was borderline frightening to think these things. She almost missed the days of doing exercise to calm down the fire in her loins.

He took one of his paws and put it to her chin, “Judy, we’ll take our time. We don’t have to sneak around right now, just try to relax.”

“You’re not the one having to ignore your ovaries writhing for a baby.” She blurted under her breath. 

He let go of her chin.

“Have you been thinking it might possible to, you know, get pregnant?” He asked awkwardly.

This was it, the end all debate. If she did and they didn’t have protection her body might explode on them both. If she didn’t he could continue heedless of the consequences. She didn’t know if she were willing to risk it. She had her career to think about. Judy knew she could take leave for something like this but this was their first time and didn’t want to be bogged down with the thought of having his child.

“I guess I have. Remember in the Rain forest district? When we were called to a domestic dispute between the tiger and panda? Only to find out she had called because her pregnancy hormones were making her crazy?” Judy asked speculatively. 

He nodded.

Judy persevered, “Well I know they didn’t say they were together but if my discernment is right, I’m sure he was the father. It doesn’t happen often enough to make the news but if we evolved from being primitive and wild to what we are now, who is to say we can’t create new life?”

Nick nodded again and looked around the room, then got off the bed.

“I’ve been kind of thinking the same thing.” He retorted.

She thought he was looking for his shirt to get dressed. Her insides began to weep along with a pain increasing in the prefrontal cortex of her brain.

Then he found what he was looking for and resumed his kneeled position on the bed. In the palm of his paw was his wallet. She watched him trifle through its slots and pockets until he found what he was looking for and pulled it out.

It was…

“It’s not expired.” He explained. “And it wasn’t for anyone else but you. I’ve been putting new ones in my wallet since I graduated the academy. Because, I do think the same thing as you do about kids. Also, don’t think it’s just because I wanted to rut with you and that would be it. I just didn’t know when or if I would have the courage to tell you how I felt. So I kept replacing it.”

He rambled more as her body enflamed at the thought of him wanting to be with her like this for such a long time. She looked down at the condom in his paw and she couldn’t contain her excitement.

Which he smelled and stopped talking.

“Thank you.” She soothed as she leaned forward and buried her nose in his chest, breathing deeply in the thick fur there.

“Should we uh?” He sputtered at her contact.

She nodded into his chest then reclined back to look at him. 

Nick gawked as she lifted the tank top she was wearing over and off her body to crumple it in her lap. His heart was roaring against his ribcage but he didn’t move. 

Judy was concerned at first but discarded her shirt then playfully put her paws on each of his shoulders to lift her body to stand at level with him and asked suggestively,

“Why so shy Mr. Wilde? You scared of this naïve little hick?”

The fascination he had for her chest was momentarily broken by her challenge and he wasn’t one to back down. He dropped the condom and put his index claw between her clavicles and gradually scraped downward past her breasts and stomach to the spot right above the waistband of her pajama shorts and stopped.

His claw never scratched her or left a mark. He used it to torture her.

She almost whined, mentally goading him to keep going down, but then he kissed her and she focused more on that. 

It was slow and her mouth opened immediately as his did to flick her tongue at his teeth. There was something about them that was dangerous and the sharpness she could feel excited her. She moaned into his open mouth causing him to nip at her bottom lip.

She loved it.

Her paws left his shoulders and went to his chest to run her fingers through the fur there. He was so much wider than her.

Nick’s paws were on her hips and every so often he’d reach back and caress her butt and tail provoking her to straddle him like in the shed but she stood firm. Instead, she lifted her own paws off him to grab his and drag them up to her breasts.

They were petite, one of his paws covered them both, but he did his best to evoke another moan from her by kneading them between the pads on his fingers.

When she did moan breaking their kiss, he dropped his head to her chest and marked her with his scent there. He nipped and licked her until she trembled. Judy was on the verge of crumpling down when he put one of his paws to her lower back and the other to the back of her neck to dip her on to the bed.

“Oohh.” She crooned quietly while he situated his knees between her legs. Judy tried to sit up and touch more than his chest since he was being so generous with her but he held her arms above her head and hoarsely demanded, 

“Don’t. It’s about you, not me.”

She shook her head, “This is about us, Nick.” Judy shimmied out of his paws to reach up and wrap her arms around his neck to kiss him. He propelled them both back down to the bed and settled on top of her. His stomach was swaddled by her thighs and his arms bent at the elbow around her to keep most of his weight from hurting her.

Judy unconsciously started to move her hips on his body dying for friction. He wanted to oblige her request but he wasn’t sure how to make that move.

It’s like she read his mind because she put her paws on her waist to try pushing her shorts down but with him on top of her they were caught on the pressure. He noticed and stopped kissing her to look down and then back at her.

“Take them off.” She pleaded.

Nick rose off of her and with his paws on either side of her shorts he pulled them down and off her to put them to the side.

Seeing firsthand where her heat was emitting that scent was a high he didn’t want to ever quit. Judy was a woman and he had seen naked fox women before, but seeing her splayed out beneath him was a rush and if even possible he felt a surge go straight to his head and the hunger strengthened in his groin.

He was transfixed by her and the yearning to be inside her almost made him lose focus of what he was trying to do. But she was so incredibly tiny compared to what he was used to. He wasn’t even sure if he could.

“N-nick?” Judy asked. She had covered her face with her paws when he pulled down her shorts afraid to see his reaction. Then nothing happened, so she had to peek through her fingers. 

He was staring at her down there and even though modesty was a done issue she still tried to close her legs and hide.

That was enough to bring him out of his stupor. He yipped and held her legs apart not allowing her to cover herself. She couldn’t stop the groan that left her mouth.

His paws squeezed and stroked down her thighs, stopping just before her most intimate bundle of nerves. She was close to making a move to hurry him along but her own paws never moved from her face until he took one paw and his clawed thumb and touched her. 

She swung her arms to her sides on the bed and she grasped the comforter as her pelvis jerked. Her small gyration caused his thumb to slip into her. The warmth and liquid that coated his pad made the length in his pants pulse violently.

Nick stroked and rubbed her to get more of her on his paws when she thrusted so violently that he had to remove it so he didn’t hurt her.

Her safety made him request, “C-careful, my claws.” And he held up his glistening paw to remind her.

She was hazy and unfocused, blinking meekly and nodding like understood. She really just wanted him to put his paw back. Her breathing was deep and loud.

It was happening.

Something was building inside her once more. A feeling like when he was petting her head and ears but multiplied and spread all over her body. She tingled and needed it drastically to come to an end.

But Nick wasn’t touching her again and she looked at him to see him distracted and licking his paw. His eyes met hers and he flushed.

“Sorry.” Nick hummed not truly embarrassed, he was a predator after all.

The thought of him licking her from the source of where his paw got wet caused a new wave of sticky slush to spill slowly out of her. It dripped down her folds and fur on to the comforter puddling under them.

He saw it and smelled it of course and toppled over slightly. This bunny was out to get him.

She pushed her hips up to get his attention. He looked at her and she was smiling coyly.

“Can you?” She asked as her eyes flicked to his pants. It wasn’t fair for her to be exposed while he was still dressed.

“No.” He said denying her. “You said you wanted me to stop you from rushing. And sweetheart, I plan on taking my time.”

He didn’t warn her as he drooped down to put his mouth on her heat. He even did it before he could rationalize what he was doing.

“Aahhnng.” She whimpered. It was better than she imagined.

Nick thought she had called for him to stop so he jolted away from her. Not all females liked this sort of thing. However, she bawled her paws into fists and slammed them on the bed.

“Mmnph. Ohh please, Nick.”

Judy’s eyes were sealed shut and she was panting. She felt a waft of hot air from his mouth down on her and then she was gone.

His tongue was sweltering and flicking her. 

Randomly, she would feel a gentle graze of his teeth, not enough to hurt her and she would moan. He would switch up his ministrations going from her entrance to the portion of her labia that wanted attention but couldn’t handle it outright. 

She was hearing white noise and feeling as though she were about to peek at the top of a roller coaster.

And he was.

And he.

He.

“Oohh.” She exhaled as she came. Her mouth stayed open but no more sound departed from her lips. Her hips lifted and he kept his tongue in motion until she was shaking from the over stimulation.

When she collapsed against the mattress he finally stopped.

Her breathing was erratic and the biggest smile was on her face. She looked at him and laughed. He smiled as well, very proud of his work and then moved to hover over her.

Nick went to say something but she put a weak finger to his lips.

“Why haven’t we done this? Why did we wait?” Judy joked, pausing to breathe between every other syllable. He took her paw that was silencing him and kissed it.

“I’m no expert but I take it, you liked it?” He asked smarmily. She rolled her eyes.  
“Of course I did. And you were, I can’t even explain it. I don’t think I can even remember my own name.”

He shook his head and chuckled, “Your name is Judy. And I think you’re over exaggerating because no one else has done that for you.” 

She sat up and held his head in her paws as he took a knee in front of her. Judy denied his claim with a shake of her head so fierce that her ears flopped. Her panting had quieted and she stared intently at him, in his eyes and on his mouth. 

There was moisture on his chin and she wiped it off with the backside of her paw then put it back to cradle his head.

“I promise you, it was. And my headache is gone for the first time this whole weekend. I really can’t believe we waited so long.”

He shrugged his shoulders because he assumed all her symptoms came from the fact that she was in heat like the doctor had said, but he couldn’t answer her for why they waited so he stayed silent. Nick leaned into her paws with his eyes closed and reveled in the taste and smell of her attraction and desire for him then sighed. 

She had begun to chin him again on the top of his nose and the hardness in his pants liked that so much it jerked on its fabric prison reminding him it was there. He must have moaned because she leaned off him and put her paws on his chest.

“Were not done.” She crooned tenderly.

He shuddered and gruffly replied, “No. We aren’t.”

They shared a look and he timidly got off the bed to remove his pajama bottoms. Her eyes locked on his waist and his paws shook, abruptly bashful under her fierce stare like she had been. Of course Judy was curious, she had only gotten to feel him and not see him.

Nick bent over and removed his pants from his legs and tail in one swoop. He unfairly crawled back to his previous spot blocking her view and she crossed her arms in a tizzy. 

“You’re acting like/.”

She was going to say he was acting like the immature virgin she was supposed to be but he straightened his back while he kneeled in front of her and she finally saw what he was hiding.

Judy bit her lip and put her paws on her knees.

“Well, say something.” He barked, afraid of her silence.

She swallowed dryly. 

“It’s, nice.” Judy squeaked. Seeing him in the open like this was nothing like she pictured while fondling him before. He was hard but she remembered him feeling like velvet in her paws. There was a small bead of liquid perched at the tip, like a raindrop.

“It’s…Nice?” He questioned mockingly.

She felt her face burn, “I’m sorry I’m just finding it difficult to speak right now.” 

He smelled her scent fuming brazenly and he smirked. 

His jaw dropped when she wrapped both paws around him.

“Joodee, waay eet.” He quaked. Judy gave an exploratory tug on his length and he sagged and had to brace himself on her shoulders. Nick was too heavy for her and they fell backwards.

She had to let go of him to brace herself for the fall. Her arms fell to the sides and he came down on top, landing in the middle of her legs. As soon as it happened, he tried to right his position. But his dick was right where he wanted it.

Her chest was exhaling and inhaling excitedly and she begged into his ear, 

“What are you waiting for?”

His paws searched the bed for the condom he neglected at the start. When the familiar foil touched his pads he grabbed it and ripped it open agilely. He never moved his torso when they fell, except now to reach down and roll the contraceptive over him. As soon as it was in place he situated himself at her center.

Judy tried to relax and stay calm but he was entering her and it was burning, stretching her uncomfortably. There was no pleasure, only pain and stinging. She tried to contain her displeasure but as he filled her to the hilt she cried out at the torment before he could repeat the motion. It was more than being just the pain of being a virgin she thought. It had to be their size difference. 

Nick stopped. He thought he had been being careful but her face was twisted in agony.

“Judy?! What’s wrong?” He asked trying to show more concern for her and hide his enjoyment at the tightness locked around him.

“It hurts, please don’t move yet.”

He did as she said and barely even moved to breathe. A few minutes later she told him to try again and he pulled out only halfway to then push in bit by bit back to where he had been. The look on her face was distress and her eyes remained closed in discomfort.

“A-any better?” He prayed.

Judy shook her head but finally opened her eyes to look at him. He saw tears forming and it was because of him and what he was doing to her. 

“Just keep going. I can take it.” Judy insisted through gritted teeth. 

He tried a few more times trying not to moan at how it made him feel, but her quiet whimpering compelled him to pull out all the way and cease what they were doing all together. Nick involuntarily shuddered at the loss of contact and ignored his instincts. 

They were insistent that he continue.

And so was she.

“Nick, don’t. Just ignore me. I want this and so do you.”

He shook his head and replied, “It’s okay Judy. It’s no fun if you aren’t enjoying it. We can try again some other time. I’m not going to force you.” Nick lifted off of her and sat down on the bed near her feet. He removed the condom and bawled it up in his fist. He tried to leave the bed but she grabbed him.

“I’m sorry.” She teared up some more. “Please don’t be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?” He looked at her and wiped the tears from her eyes with his free paw.

“Because, I failed. And now you’ll probably reconsider our relationship.”

He balked at her, “Judy, you’re thinking too hard. Stop being a cop. You didn’t fail. This isn’t what a relationship is based on okay? Rutting is like a nice bonus. You’re only seeing the negative aspect, while all I see is that we get to keep trying.”

His smile only made her cry more. He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her from the side.

“I love you, Judy. I’m not going anywhere.”

He loved her. She knew, but hearing it for the first time was breathtaking.

Judy wanted to be romantic and say it as well but he was already saying,

“It’s not like I didn’t fit. I was in there, all the way.”

“Oh yeah?” She laughed.

He stopped joking as he realized something important.

“Are you okay? Not feeling faint or anything?”

She shook her head, “I’m fine, just tender. I think what you did for me really helped.”

He kissed her then said, “You mean the mind blowing, name forgetting orgasm I gave you?”

Hearing the literal term for it made her flush and she nodded covering her burning face in his arm as he laughed. When she looked at him again she caught a glimpse of his lap and the hardness still plaguing him.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” She asked. He saw where she was talking about and smirked.

“It’s not going to go away as long as I have a beautiful naked bunny next to me.”

Judy smirked herself and hopped off the bed and stood in front of him. She turned away coyly to show her rear and tail, wagging it suggestively. He leaned back and appreciated the view.

“Why don’t we get dressed?” She asked but then added. “But let’s shower first.”

She left the bedroom, naked and he was following right behind her.


	11. Steam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course he has a turn, its only fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretty short chap I know but writing this shit is tough i mean do you know what i have had to google in order to write what i feel is proper? LMAO anyways. the story keeps going.

To say the very least about their newly budding friendship turning romantic, Nick would have to say it was weird. Weird how they evolved but nothing changing in the aspect of their attitudes and the way they cared for each other.

Weird in the way they were both naked in the bathroom waiting for the water to get hot.

Judy checked the temperature as steam began to rise and pushed the curtain to the side when she was happy with it. She stepped in and turned around to invite Nick in with her.

The water cascaded over her and half of him since he was still too tall for the faucet, but the scolding water felt nice on their fur. They stood there, still getting comfortable with their nudity and he put his head under the water a few times to wet his ears and face. 

Nick turned his back on her to grab the shampoo off the ledge. He didn’t fully understand the physics of the close proximity they shared because his tail collided with her when he turned. She laughed it off but he spun back around to make sure she was okay.

“You sure you’re fine, Judy?” He asked through the steam.

“Yes. Officer Wilde, I am A-Okay.” And she saluted him. He laughed out loud because seeing her do it naked was like something out of a weird fantasy come true.

He bent down and kissed her then, she tried to prolong it but he separated from her mouth and bonked her nose with his own. She watched him stand up straight and put a dollop of shampoo on his paw from the bottle he picked up. He handed said bottle to her and started to wash himself. Nick noticed her looking so he puts some of his suds on top of her head. 

She tried to look away but couldn’t. Her sense of obligation was too mighty and as he washed his face she reached out and touched the hardness he was still burdened with.

The bottle of shampoo clattered to the ground.

The pleasant surprise made him jump. He also made a sort of strangled noise because the soap was covering his face and he couldn’t react properly. Nick stuck his head under the running water and rinsed it so he could scold her.

“Carrots.” He said sternly. She still had him in her paw and it was hard not to move his hips into her grip.

“I know I’m a bunny, but that nickname should be for you since you’re the only carrot colored animal in here.”

Nick mocked her with a gasp. 

“I’m not orange, I am a red fox, red. Do you need your eyes checked?” He retorted.

She ‘punished’ Nick for that sassy remark by stroking him from the base all the way to the tip.

“Uuhhn.”

“What was that?” She asked, caressing him again.

“Auhnn, uhhn.” He answered. Nick had cornered her, bracing himself on the wall with his paws as her back landed firmly on the tiles there.

Judy explored him with a plethora of different maneuvers, each driving him a little bit overboard with lust. He had to fight the primal part of him that wanted to be inside her again. The hot water only added to his frustration.

She tried to keep a rhythm, but she heard him panting and looked up. He was watching her every move and as soon as she slowed down he tried to speak.

“Judy, are/”

“Don’t you dare tell me to stop, Nick. I know you’re probably worried about me but I still feel fine.” She seethed.

“But/”

Her eyes narrowed before he started his further complaint. She didn’t give him a choice as she bent sideways and licked him. She heard him yip, followed by a curse word as he jolted. Judy realized too quickly that the angle that she put herself in was too problematic so she straightened up. She’d have to try that trick some other time.

He didn’t seem to mind as long as she didn’t stop moving her paws in tandem on him.

Nick resumed the same stance of cornering her against the wall and would roll his hips every time a particularly good stroke would graze him in the right spot. Judy noticed that he liked the full length to be played with and not the short spastic tugs from her first encounter.

At this point he was too far gone to really give advice because it was her and everything she was doing was bringing him closer and closer. 

His imagination was running rampant, but nothing was as good as watching her go to town on him. It was the most euphoric aphrodisiac he’d ever felt. Seeing her determined face and feeling her paws gave him a chill that would undulate inside him, even going through his tail.

He thrusted randomly into her palms, pushing his body closer to hers so that each time he jerked, his tip would momentarily come into contact with her stomach. She was trying to set the pace but Nick was harshly unstable. 

All Judy could do was hold on and create a grip with her two paws. His behavior was stirring something inside her again. Her clitoris, still sensitive from her orgasm, palpitated in the middle of her petals. One of her paws almost coasted to her core to quell her desire, but she needed both for him.

She looked up at him once more because he yelled, not at full volume, but still loud enough to startle her.

Nick had warned her about this, she remembered and he only got more vocal the more she squeezed him. She loved touching him like this and causing him to react this way, it empowered her. She wanted to see him this way for the rest of her life.

And because of her sudden vivacity, she attempted to put herself back in control of his pleasure by twisting and stroking him. Then she swirled her thumb on the head.

Nick paused and let out a ragged breath as water droplets weaved over his muzzle onto her.

“Oh God Judy, right there, just like that.” 

Her skin prickled and chilled under her fur and she did as she was told.

Nick moaned but didn’t thrust. He leaned into her further, basking in the height of his impending release, letting her do all the work.

Judy wasn’t naïve enough to not understand and know what was literally coming. But, she wasn’t prepared for how it would look on him. He stopped moving and blocked his breathing with a sharp intake of breath then,

“Auggh, Judy.” He groaned while holding the last syllable. 

She felt it before she saw it. The light pattering of creamy white succulence hit her stomach in random bursts. Her womb was disappointed with the waste but she was amazed and hypnotized by it slipping down her belly.

She joined him and moaned quietly, just helping him by rubbing, because he was still coming. 

Although she wanted too, she didn’t get to see him finish because he hoisted her up to straddle his chest. Judy gave him a confused look but he kissed her and she was okay. His mouth was feverish and he stopped at some points because of being out of breath but the kiss was nevertheless passionate.

When he was sated, he bent his head down to nuzzle her neck, she reached up to massage his ears.

They stayed in that embrace for a while until she uttered, “You okay, Wilde?”

He nodded then looked at her lazily, “I’m peachy keen. Just wish you were taller.”

The tone of sincerity made her laugh.

“What do you mean?” She asked, suppressing another giggle.

He stared at Judy with no undertone of kidding her and said, “There are certain things I wanted to do but couldn’t because you’re vertically challenged.”

She sneered, “Maybe the fault is yours at being too big.”

Nick smirked devilishly, “Ahh yes. I am too big for you, we proved this already.”

Judy, shocked at his innuendo, stuttered and turned her head away from him. He grabbed her chin and made her look back at him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. This is just the way it is sometimes.” He said apologetically. 

When she heard him say that it had made her feel low and not because of her height. She knew he had slept with other vixens before but, how many exactly? There was no way she could fault him for his past because it’s not like they were a couple back in those days but, was he really okay with her not being able to please him like they had? 

She decided to ignore him and hide her self-doubt and instead replied, “We should get cleaned up before all the hot water is gone.” This was hardly the time to let her feelings get in the way of what they had just intimately shared together. 

Nick agreed but he’d seen her downtrodden expression and made a mental note not to joke like that again as he set her down on the floor of the shower. He stepped aside letting her get under the spray of water. 

She rinsed off spunk he ejected on her, then picked up the bottle of shampoo to clean her fur. He did the same and they washed themselves in near silence.

It really irked him, but she didn’t speak until the water was turned off and they were drying their fur with towels that were already hanging in the bathroom. Judy’s ears went on the alert and strained to hear through the walls.

“Did you hear that?” She asked while tying the towel over her chest.

He was startled by her breaking the peace and shook his head.

Judy listened more carefully and it sounded like,

“My family is home!” She screeched.

There were footsteps in the hallway that he could hear now and they both just stared at one another afraid to make a sound.

“We have to get out of here.” 

“How? We didn’t bring any clothes.” He mouthed in a low voice.

She thought for a second and hissed, “We’ll have to make a break for it.” She went to the door and monitored the sound outside the bathroom. “When I say go, we’ll run to your room.”

He tensed up and wrapped the towel around his waist, waiting for her signal.

It took a few seconds but she cracked open the door after not hearing anything else. She made sure the hallway was clear then flung the door open and took off. He was right behind her the whole way and when they entered the bedroom he shut the door as calmly as possible.

They were both breathing heavy but as soon as they looked at each other they had to subdue the laughter that bubbled in their chests. Judy reached out and hugged him, covering her face in his fur. He in turn embraced her and their previous skirmish was squashed for now. 

Judy would have no idea at that time, but she was about to give him something important. Something no female vixen had ever done or said to him.

While he pet her ears and held her close, she purred and confessed fastidiously, 

“I love you. Thank you for everything.”

Nick only hugged her tighter. 

Another wave of footsteps pounded in the hallway so they unlocked from one another and proceeded to get dressed. Unfortunately for Judy, she only had her sleep clothes from the night before, but that was all she needed to walk through the house to her room where her luggage was.

When she was dressed she smiled shyly at Nick and left his room.

He had been in the middle of looking for a shirt to wear after putting on his pants when she exited. As the door closed his heart lurched in his ribcage.

Nick stared at the door with a longing he hadn’t known he could feel but quickly brushed it off because it was silly. It’s not like he wouldn’t see her again. All he had to do was leave this room and he could.

This prompted him to speedily finish getting dressed.


	12. Claim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't jump to conclusions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go lol. i'll try to answer your comments tomorrow! right now its 2am and i shouldnt write this late but here we arrrrrrrrrrrrrre.

The kitchen. 

For some reason the kitchen was a focal point for this family because that’s where they all congregated during any part of the day. This is also where they all were when he had finished getting ready and left his room. 

The kids paid him no attention, the ones that weren’t out and about, but her parent’s acknowledged him without looking at him.

He was grateful for that because how to you express your gratitude for them letting you sleep with their daughter.

No.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Although Mr. Hopps did shoot him a heartbroken stare when he thought he couldn’t see.

Nick made himself at home and sat at the table to eat some of the blueberries he picked. He grabbed the basket and his heart dropped when he saw that it was empty.

Mrs. Hopps noticed because he made a sound of disappointment, so she asked,

“Something wrong?”

He held up the empty container so she could see. She smiled and shook her head, “These darn kids. I told them they were off limits. It’s alright, you can pick some more before you leave.”

He nodded sadly at being deprived of his favorite treat and leaned into his chair.

“When are you leaving?” She asked hesitantly.

“I’d say an hour or two. If we want to return the rental car today we have to.”

She sighed, “So soon?”

He apologized with a shrug and offered, “We’ll visit again soon. I’m sure there will be other weddings.”

“Did you have fun?”

A flicker of Judy writhing on the bed in mid coitus flashed in his memory and he cleared his throat.

“Y-yeah. Yes ma’am.”

She was relieved he could tell, because she seemed to relax more. Southern hospitality was more often given if appreciated he understood. So telling her all was well was the best thing for him to say and it wasn’t a lie. 

Bonnie offered him coffee again and he didn’t say no. He could never turn down coffee.

Mr. Hopps, who had been quiet thus far, spoke up and queried, “Where is Jude?”

The other rabbit must have been thinking the worst. He probably thought Nick was a sexual fiend at this point even though his daughter was the one who just jerked him off in the shower. The fox was happy these two couldn’t see into his head. How he hoped their hearing wasn’t as super as Judy’s.

Stu’s face was tense and Nick knew it was just as a result of him being her dad and that he was the boyfriend. 

Boyfriend. He had to get used to that.

He offered Stu a smile and told him, “She’s downstairs.” He left out the ‘getting dressed’ part.

Judy’s father nodded and stared out the window in the kitchen. 

He looked like he wanted to say more to Nick but couldn’t quite put his thoughts into words. Thankfully, Mrs. Hopps set some bread along with homemade butter on the table explaining they had bought the bread at the farmers market that morning and he forgot to wonder about Stu Hopps’ odd countenance. 

Nick didn’t mean too but as soon as the bread hit his taste buds he gleefully moaned his approval.

Mr. Hopps promptly excused himself to apparently work out on the farm.

Mrs. Hopps watched her husband leave and told Nick, “You’ll have to forgive him. He gets this way around the spouses of our children. He really is a silly old coot. Which is why I had to get him out of the house this morning when he saw you two sleeping together.”

There it was and Nick choked at this woman’s brazen boldness. 

She pretended not to notice and simply slid him a cup of coffee now that it was done.

“Oh I’m sorry I meant to say boyfriend, you aren’t Judy’s spouse. Slip of the tongue I guess.” Bonnie smiled innocently and went to the pot to make her own cup of coffee.

Nick wheezed on his constricting airway, took a sip of his coffee and said, “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to. We we’re both really tired.”

She waved a paw, “You don’t have to apologize to me. I could hear you both snoring from here last night. It’s fine.”

He rubbed his temple then brushed back his fur on his head, clearly uncomfortable. He had a suspicion that she knew just what she was doing and that she was liking it. The smile she hid behind her mug was a tell all. She was also starting to laugh.

He smiled awkwardly. This woman had made a way for him and Judy to be alone this morning and now she was teasing him about it. He took another gulp of his coffee ignoring how hot it was.

Judy walked in then, wearing a pastel purple sundress and suddenly he didn’t care about anything else.

She looked at Nick curiously because his heart did a little flip flop. She saw the coffee in his paws and blamed it on that.

“Morning mom.” She sang out above the air of embarrassment floating in the room.

“Hello hon bun. Did you sleep well?” Her mother asked with a grin.

Judy nodded and walked over to Nick to grab a piece of bread off the table and nibbled on it. The hem of her dress fluttered against his leg. 

“How are you feeling, Judy?” Bonnie asked more seriously.

Nick knew if she answered positively that Mrs. Hopps would indefinitely know they fooled around this morning. She’d probably know when she changed the sheets in the guest room. Or if she emptied the trash can in the bathroom and found the used condom. 

It didn’t really matter what Judy said after all. They were caught. They had been set up like criminals though, thus, he really didn’t feel all that bad about it.

Unless she referred to him as her daughters spouse again.

“I feel fantastic.” Judy replied smiling widely. 

Bonnie’s eyebrows raised and she looked at Nick.

“Well now. I am so pleased to hear that.”

He covered his heated face with his paw. Judy tilted her head in pure confusion. Mrs. Hopps set down her cup with glee.

“Nick say’s you both will be heading back to Zootopia soon. Did you want me to pack anything extra so you have something to snack on during the ride?” Bonnie asked sincerely.

“Oh mom don’t go through any extra trouble. We’ll be good with the blueberries.”

Her mother pointed to the empty basket on the table, “You’d better go pick some more then. I’m sorry, I told your siblings not to touch them, but you know how it is around here.”

Bonnie walked over and picked up Nick’s discarded cup and brought it to the sink with hers and began to wash them. The odd couple took that as their cue, picked up the basket and left the house through the back door.

“Hi.” Judy said when they were alone.

“Hi yourself.” He kidded.

She watched Nick as he walked and appreciated the view of him in his slacks and flowing button down shirt. It was much like the outfit he wore when she first met him but the shirt wasn’t green, it was canary yellow.

Her heart filled with supreme joy because they had accidently worn complimentary colors.

They walked around the house and the shed came into view. Judy tried not to react but it was too late. The memories from their last venture there swarmed in her brain.

“Judy, you can’t be serious.” He asked in disbelief. He was downwind and her dress wasn’t doing anything to hide her heat.

“W-what?” She threw back indignantly.

He rolled his eyes and pressed on, “You’re going to wear me out girl.”

She stomped her foot briskly on the grass, “Just b-because you can smell me doesn’t mean it’s okay to embarrass me. You know I can’t control it right now.”

He shook his head and put his paws on her shoulders.

“You’re mistaken, cottontail. I’m only worried about you getting sick again. Are you feeling light-headed at all?”

Judy said no and that was the truth. She felt warm but there was no pain in her head at this current time. He believed her and bent down to kiss her on the forehead and walked in the shed to get the keys for her. 

The ATV was in its usual spot and they jumped in. She fired it up and they drove off to the field. There was a good breeze accompanied with the motion of the vehicle and Nick found himself smiling into the sunlight. Judy tried to focus on driving, but the way the sunlight hit his fur was making him a distraction.

Judy chewed on her bottom lip and kept her eyes looking straight ahead.

She was still fine. She was still in control. She didn’t have a headache.

They reached the rows of bushes and she cut off the engine. Nick got out first, basket in hand and chose a row for them to pick off.

“Am I doing this by myself? Or are you going to come help me, Carrots?” He beckoned to her. She still hadn’t departed from the ATV because she was entranced by him. Safely this time, she didn’t have to drive, she could just look and appreciate.

He started to pick the most appetizing looking berries as she stepped up beside him to help. They picked in silence until he looked at her and asked, 

“What are you going to do about work tomorrow? Will you use a sick day?”

She looked at him and said plainly, “I really didn’t think about taking the day off. Never crossed my mind actually. I’ve had to deal with this at work before. Why do you ask?”

Nick twiddled a blueberry in his claws then plopped it in his mouth, “You’ve never gotten sick from it either. Why don’t you take the day off? The cycle’s almost over right?”

Judy shrugged, “It usually only lasts three to five days. Maybe it’ll end today or tomorrow? I’ll be fine. Work is usually such a huge distraction, it’ll be alright.”

He didn’t let up, “We could both take the day off.”

She sighed and perched her paw on his arm.

“Nick, why are you being so persistent with this?”

A breeze weaved its way through the rows of bushes and mussed his fur and flapped at her dress. He didn’t speak for a spell and just put his paw over hers.

“Nick?”

“It’s nothing, Carrots. I’m just worried about you is all.” He spoke above the wind.

“I mean,” He continued. “Are we going to tell the Chief about us? We might have to. If Internal Affairs gets involved on their own we could be looking at a lot of trouble and paperwork. They could separate us or even put us on leave, anything they want.”

She removed her paw from his arm to place it on her hip.

“I think that they’d recognize were better together, don’t you?”

It was his turn to shrug, “I don’t know. Bureaucrats aren’t like regular animals, you have to have a heart first. Plus we’re abnormal. A bunny and a fox, predator and prey. It’s a miracle your parents were so accepting.”

Judy walked in front of Nick and hugged him, he returned it and put his arms around her.

“My parents love you because they know you. Just like I do. And if,” She paused struggling to say the next thing. “If they do separate us as partners or worse, we will handle it. There’s no sense in worrying about this because it’s not now. We should ask Ben. I think he’s the only one I trust enough to tell.”

Nick partially agreed with a hum and uttered, “What about the other problem?”

She looked up at him, “What other problem?”

His heart began to accelerate in his chest and she was caught off guard. Her confusion remained as he crouched down before her.

“How am I supposed to get any work done tomorrow when I think about you in this dress?”

Judy shook indignantly and smacked his arm as he laughed. 

“I’m serious! This is one of the only times I’ve seen you in one. I can see it now, a perp on the run and all I picture is what’s hiding under your skirt. It’s a good thing you didn’t wear this yesterday, or I really would have claimed you in that shed.”

Joking, He was joking again. But she wasn’t laughing. She was feeling agitated and slightly turned on. Judy wished there was a way to turn off her heat course. 

But something he said bugged her.

“Claimed?” She asked puzzled.

He stopped laughing and his ears flattened on his head.

“Did I say claimed? I meant rutted.” 

Nick tried to laugh it off but her nose was already twitching, determined to know the truth.

“What does it mean, claimed? Besides what I think it means.” She demanded.

He looked at her and felt his joy and happiness leave his body. The answer would come with a bad memory, something he wasn’t sure he could share. But her lilac colored eyes weren’t vicious and she had put a paw on his chest to comfort him at his distress.

His heart beat loudly for the past, and he started to explain.

“I shouldn’t have said it. It’s an old predator custom. Some prey have it to, like when you rub your scent on my face and pulse. But for predators, it’s more of a bloodline action. A mixing of scents and DNA. Some of us scratch and the rest of us bite, not to cause pain but to leave a mark so that others will know what is ours.”

Judy, still baffled, asked him, “I can tell it upset you to say all that, but why? I think it’s sweet and it sounds romantic. I’m not going to get mad at you for that. It’s in your nature, like my heat.”

He stiffened and stuttered, “Judy, i-it’s a bond. That has to be done at the right moment.”

She tiled her head, “I get that, Nick. You said I claimed you, why wouldn’t I want you to claim me?”

Nick shook his head and sadly replied, “I can’t right now, Judy. That’s why I wished I hadn’t said it.”

She didn’t know why but she felt like crying, he looked like he was in agony.

“It isn’t you.” He said while putting a gap between them. “When I was younger I made the mistake of doing it with a girl. She never claimed me though, she never wanted too. I did it too soon. She used me, because I was stupid and I thought/”

Judy bit her lip and muttered over him, “She used you?”

He nodded.

“Nick, I wouldn’t do that to you, I love you.” Judy objected, tears threatening to fall.

He frowned, conflicted.

“I know, Judy. I love you too.”

“But you won’t do it with me?” She said, fists shaking. 

She was getting angry.

How could she prove that she loved him?

Nick attempted to answer her but she pushed into him using the momentum of a kick off the ground with her back legs. He fell back into the soil and she jumped on him.

Before she could fathom what she was doing, and before he got over the shock of her assault, she had pulled his collar aside and bit him on the muscle between his neck and shoulder. Her teeth didn’t tear his fur and skin but her jaw put enough pressure there to get her point across.

He felt her incisors on his body and oddly enough it calmed him. This girl was always in a rush but the fact that she loved him enough to try doing what she couldn’t made him happy.

“Judy.” He said with her still attached to him. She didn’t let go and he was comforted by this bunny trying to claim him like a predator.

“You didn’t let me finish.”

She wasn’t releasing him just yet so he laid there with her in the dirt and put his arms around her.

“I was going to say it can’t be done right now. Not that we can’t. That girl? She used me to get back at her boyfriend. It was the first time I had rutted with a vixen and my hormones clouded my judgement. So I did it with her and the next day she was back with him. I regret it now because I was so immature. Sometimes it means more to certain mammals. I can see how much it means to you.”

He thought he felt her jaw loosen so he went on.

“The other reason we can’t do it,” He croaked into her ear. “Is because I have to be coming inside you. And right now that’s not possible. Unless you want to take me in these bushes. Can’t you just picture it? I could eat blueberries off of you and we could get in some more practice.”

Nick said that last part to get a rise out of her, which he did. She unlatched her mouth from him and sat up to sit on top of his stomach. Her stare could have caught the ground on fire.

He wasn’t fazed by it and quipped, “I appreciate you trying though. It’s nice to know you care.”

“Looks like I care too much.” She retorted, wiping her eyes.

“If you really did, you’d help me up so we can finish picking the berries. I told Ben we’d bring him back some too.”

Judy scrambled off of him and he stood up and straightened his shirt while trying to get the dirt off. She wasn’t feeling any heat fever, just emotional exhaustion, but he still asked her if she was okay.

“I’m fine.” She replied as he paws fixed the crumpled state of her dress.

He trusted her judgement and resumed his berry picking. 

That was after he bent down and kissed her.


	13. Whoops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't forget, he just was having too much fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if by fun you mean stressed out then yeaaaaaaah

Kissing her had to be done precisely. If he were too enthusiastic he could potentially hurt her, so mostly he let her lead. Except when she was trying to run her tongue over his teeth.

Judy was trying to do that now.

He parted from her lips and stood up leaving her disappointed. He had to. Her scent was spiraling and he’d recognized its pace was spreading too expeditiously. It’s not like it only got stronger in one place. When she was reaching a focal point it seemed to seep out of her very pores, covering her in a second skin of musk.

They’d only been kissing the past few days but he knew she had a thing for his teeth. For some reason when she licked them, it caused her to lose it. He would have to test his theory later.

Nick had grabbed the basket and resumed the picking but observed her with a sideways glance.

She was pouting.

“Sorry, Carrots. This isn’t the time.” He offered in peace.

“It’s never the right time or place with you is it?” She snapped.

Judy was frustrated.

He clutched his shirt over his heart dramatically and proclaimed, “I am an old man, Cottontail. Do you really think I am ready for round two?”

She scoffed, “I can hear through your lies remember?”

That comment made him feel nude. This must be how she felt knowing he could smell her. He couldn’t help but to smirk.

“Just wait until we get home, Judith.” He said hanging on the ‘H’ pronunciation of her name, his tongue sticking out slightly on the top row of teeth.

He admired the way she tried to ignore his insinuation with a flick of her ear. Judy didn’t respond, she only picked blueberries at a faster pace.

Nick really wished she would consider taking a sick day with him tomorrow because she was pursing her lips and he fought not to kiss her again. It would be nice to stay in bed all day too.

He knew work wasn’t just work for her though, she went in for every shift promising to make everything better and to help as many animals as she could. As for him he could say the same about himself, but taking a day off because of being under the weather was sometimes unavoidable.

Tomorrow, she was going to be a trouper and wear herself out probably. He hoped she wouldn’t be hard headed and pretend to be okay.

That contemplation bothered him so he got her attention.

“Hey, since you won’t take the day off, will you agree to tell me if you feel, you know, ready to knock yourself out?” He implored tenderly.

She looked up at him and blinked a few times, “I promise.”

He nodded his head once and looked back at the basket they were filling, it was almost to the top. 

Another breeze swept over them and he saw some clouds rolling in. With the wind a scent drifted with it and he could smell what he thought was rain.

“Think we got enough to take home?” He asked in reference to the berries.

“Yeah, but not if you eat them all on the way back.” She chided playfully.

He smiled and brushed his paws off on his pants to pick up the basket from the ground, Judy went to the ATV and got in.

The drive to the house was enjoyable and peaceful. They chatted about leaving and having to pack their bags once they got back. Once they did, they parted. Nick to his guest room and Judy to her bedroom in the basement.

Both of them returned to the main part of the house somewhat at the same time with their bags in their paws, Nick also carrying the basket of blueberries. Judy’s mother was near the front door joined by her father who must have come back inside while they were in the fields.

“We hope you can visit again soon, Jude the dude.” Her father beamed then looked at Nick, “You too of course.”

Nick gave him a lopsided grin and turned his attention to Bonnie who said,

“And maybe next time you can stay longer. I feel like this was too short of a visit.” Mrs. Hopps looked like she was holding back tears.

Judy hugged her mother and this time Bonnie didn’t mark her daughter’s cheek with her scent. Mr. Hopps broke the girls apart to hug Judy himself as Bonnie went to Nick and gave him a motherly embrace. 

Nick and her father shared a firm handshake.

As they left the house out the front door, Stu was reminding Judy to check all the, what he called, doohickeys in the car to make sure they were working. And Bonnie was asking them if they remembered to grab everything in case they had forgotten.

Judy answered for the two of them and hugged them one last time. She left her parents on the porch to approach the rental car and pop the trunk so she and Nick could place their bags inside it.

As usual Judy went to the driver’s side and got in. Nick followed suit and slid into the passenger seat and put his belt on. She did too and turned the key to start the engine. 

Judy looked back at her parents and they were waving on the porch, she smiled and gave a little nod then pulled out of the driveway.

Nick snuck a look at her and admitted, “That was fun.”

She said yes with a jostle of her head and responded, “It was, but it feels good to be going home. I kind of miss the city.”

He agreed noiselessly and took out his phone.

“When is our shift tomorrow? I can’t remember if it’s the morning or evening.”

She drove the car down the street leading to the highway and said with her eyes on the road, “It starts at 7am.” 

He groaned.

“Are they ever going to let us choose our shifts?”

Judy smiled and haughtily countered with, “We’re at the bottom of the seniority list. I think we’ll have bad ones for a while. At least we aren’t working graveyard.”

Nick shimmied lower in his seat and relaxed with his cell in his paw silently acquiescing to her statement.

She hummed and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.

The rest of the ride out of the country and into the city had no bumps in the road so to speak. 

Except for the storm that slowed them down when they got on the highway. It was a minor delay but they would still be in time to return the car to ‘Enterpaws.’

Judy gaped at the city as she drove, she wasn’t allowed to appreciate its splendor when she was busting bad guys, her face lit up and she was genuinely happy to be home.

After the car was brought back and not their responsibility anymore they trudged the two blocks to her building. That’s why they chose that rental place, it was within walking distance.

He carried his bag, along with hers, up the stairs to her apartment as Judy fiddled with her keys and the basket of berries.

She unlocked the door and let him in. She relocked the door when it shut then turned to grab her bag from him. He handed it over then hoisted his from over his shoulder and put it on the ground. They trifled through their bags, she was unpacking some clothes and he was looking for his phone charger.

It was mundane and at some point during the drive, they receded into their previous way of life almost forgetting what had happened when they were in Bunnyburrow.

Almost.

The pair seemed to realize collectively that they were alone, really alone, on their own for the first time in days.

Judy pretended not to be affected or daunted by his presence in her tiny apartment by sorting her clothes and ignoring him. He dropped the charger on her desk and put his phone back in his pocket.

Anxiety was her enemy. 

Nick, despite his best effort, was having a hard time with her scent. He could have sworn he smelled her reaction but the miniscule domicile had retained her scent from normal everyday life there. The room just smelled like her, he couldn’t tell new from old scents unless he put his nose right to them.

He walked up to her as she was tinkering with the drawers under her bed and bowed down to casually inhale her essence. She hadn’t noticed and spun on her heel to knock her head on his muzzle.

“Yeowch, Nick! What you do that for?” Judy bellowed.

He was about to say the same thing as he rubbed his sore face when he noticed a small bit of blood pooling over her eyebrow.

One of his teeth had nicked her.

He ushered her into the bathroom, a nervous wreck of apologies, to wipe the blood from her head with a wad of toilet paper. She tried to calm him down and assure him it was an accident and she was alright but he wouldn’t stop until she said,

“Look it isn’t even that big okay? It doesn’t hurt at all.” She made him remove the makeshift gauze to look with her at how small the cut was. It wasn’t bleeding anymore because of the pressure he had put on it.

From outside the bathroom, in the apartment next door, Pronk yelled, “What’s going on over there?!”

“Dude, didn’t you just hear her? She said she was fine. Mind your own business.” Bucky shouted.

“What if she’s got a hit man in there bro, she is a cop?!”

“If that’s true we’re next you idiot! Just shut up, maybe he didn’t hear you.”

“No you shut up!”

“Guys!” Judy belted over their fictional argument, “It’s just Nick. Will you relax?”

They always assumed the worst.

“Yeah it’s me.” Nick told them. Although he wondered how they came up with such ludicrous ideas when he was the only one to ever visit Judy, except for her parents that one time.

The neighbors were lost in the heated squabble, their previous concern for Judy as flitting as a leaf in the wind. Judy looked at Nick and held up her paws in defeat.

He looked at her forehead and grazed the pad of his thumb just under the cut.

“I’m really sorry, Judy.” 

She took his paw off her face and kissed his palm, “Nothing to apologize for. It was an accident.”

They were pretty much whispering now because of the young men next door.

Nick scowled.

“Don’t you see how one wrong move could hurt you? This is why I want you to be more careful when we kiss, I know how much of a thing you have for touching my teeth with your tongue.” He said as he looked for some rubbing alcohol and ointment in the cabinet under the sink.

She looked abashed and opened her mouth to deny, “I don’t have a ‘thing’ for your teeth.”

Nick snorted and dabbed her wound with the alcohol.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Judy. We all have our kinks.” He joked with her.

“Oh yeah? What’s yours?” She huffed.

He continued to rub the ointment on her then recapped it and placed both items back in the cabinet. She was thumping her foot on the tile and crumpling her dress in her paws waiting for his answer.

He finally looked at her and said, “You really want to know what mine is?”

“Well yeah since you seem to know me so well. And I won’t know unless you tell me.”

Nick sat down on the ledge of the bathtub and beckoned her to him. As soon as she was close enough he picked her up so she could mount his lap with her thighs. He put his paws under her skirt to feel up her leg to around her back and kneaded her bottom over her cotton underwear with his thumb.

“This is one.” He admitted. “Before, when we were just friends, there were many times I had to stop myself from reaching out.”

Her body and scent were already reacting, not as strong as before, but enough for him to notice. She had also moaned weakly when he slid a claw under her tail and pinched. Judy’s paws started to deftly unbutton his shirt.

Then his phone started to ring.

He held up his index claw to pause her and reached into his pocket to answer it. She didn’t listen to him and persevered, unbuttoning his shirt.

His eyes enlarged when he saw the name flashing on his cell. It’s not like he forgot. He’d been very busy with Judy and her family this weekend, plus he was a grown fox. But there she was, his mother was calling. 

“Hello. Ma?” He spoke into the receiving end. Judy stopped moving as if his mom were in the room with them. 

The weekend, being such a blur of new ground and new fun things to do had made them both neglect the thought of his mother. They had been so stressed about her parents and Judy’s Heat Fever that his mother never came into question. Judy hopped off him in a daze, her previous enjoyment lost.

Her ears picked up the conversation completely.

“Nicholas, are you home?”

“Just uh, arrived actually.” He said as he stood up to pace.

“Really? That’s good I’ll be at your apartment in a few minutes, would you let me in?”

He physically panicked but his voice remained calm, “I’m home as in, back in Zootopia. Just stopped by Judy’s place to drop her off.”

Nick cringed at the lie and looked at Judy, she was disappointed but okay, just standing there watching him.

“That’s good, when can you get here?”

He rubbed the back of his neck in distress and made eye contact with Judy who had heard what Mrs. Wilde had said on the other end of the line. She gestured her paws to tell him there was nothing she could do to about it then left the bathroom dejectedly. 

Nick followed her and replied to his mother, “I guess if I leave now it won’t be too long. Just wait for me, I’ll be there soon.”

He hastened through a goodbye and hung up his phone, putting it back in his pants pocket.

“I’m sorry, she has a habit of making me work around her schedule. But she came all the way from Tundra Town.” He said trying to make excuses.

“Nick, it’s okay.”

“Are you sure? The old doc said I shouldn’t do this, start then stop, he said you could pass out again.” He teetered with a frown, completely worried about her. 

“I was fine in the fields, and I still am. I think this morning is just what the doctor ordered.” Judy hushed him, smiling warmly.

He was uneasy and hesitated to leave until she hugged him.

“I’d feel better if you left your scent on me.” She added breathing into his stomach.

Nick did as she asked and knelt down and smeared his mouth over each cheek and then for good measure he did the same to most of her neck. Judy simultaneously took her chin and butted it over his nose, which was her favorite spot and then his own neck was covered with her scent.

He kissed her then rose up to retrieve his bag, charger and re-button his shirt. As he got to the door he looked at her with a lackluster smile and promised, “I’ll call you.”

She nodded and he left.


	14. Worked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momma mia can you please-a stop your grousing. Welcome Back Hopps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my god is this two chapters in one day? it will be if i update it within the next 15 minutes I cant believe it wow i dont have a life LOLLL i cant stop writing this.....also...i think i was trying to give Nicks mom like the feeling of being greek or italian IDK, its only cause of his middle name just roll with it Okay
> 
> Title for this chapter might change because im brain farting currently
> 
> Also we know little to nothing about his mom and that includes her name. You'll notice I didnt give her one on purpose! BUT if you see me refer to her as MRS HOPPS please tell me cause sometimes my fingers would type that instead. I tried to catch them all. POKEMON

Nick shoved his charger in his bag then threw it over his shoulder. He was rushing down the stairs and out of her apartment building, practically scaring several small mammals in his wake.

It didn’t take him long to get there and when he saw his building in the foreground of his vision, he observed his mom waiting there for him.

She was red like him, although her wrists and paws didn’t take on a darker hue like his and her eyes were hazel. Nick looked like her in many aspects except for those two things. 

Mrs. Wilde was carrying a sweater, overlapped on her forearm, probably because of the drastic change in weather from Tundra Town to his apartment. And in her paw was her purse. She was dressed in a simple blouse and dress pants, a row of pearls around her neck.

He smiled at her and gave her a quick hug.

“What’s going on mom? You didn’t tell me you’d be coming over.”

The older vixen by at least 25 years smiled, “I don’t need a reason to visit my son do I?”

He shook his head and led them both into the building. When they made it to his apartment and went in, it resembled Judy’s except it was larger to accommodate for a fox, his mother walked over to the small kitchenette and set her things on the counter. He set his bag down by the door.

“Nicholas, I also wanted to hear about your big trip to the burrows. Was everything good?” She asked while looking for the kettle he kept there only for her.

He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back against the counter and shrugged, “It was a wedding. A big one actually.”

“They were alright with you being there?” She asked in a concerned fashion. Mrs. Wilde remembered what happened to him when he was a child.

“Surprisingly? Yes, Judy’s family is used to me by now I guess. Their farm is huge, I got a tour and everything.” He grinned.

She filled the tea pot with water and put it on the stove.

“How’s Judy doing?”

He thought he heard a pitch change in her tone of voice but still answered, “She’s good. She liked going back to Bunnyburrow but missed Zootopia more.”

His mom turned the dial on the stove and retrieved two cups from his kitchen cabinet. As she walked to his fridge for honey she inquired, “Did she feed you right? I swear you get smaller every time I see you.”

Nick didn’t remember eating too much but laughed and told her he’d been given more than enough.

She took a deep breath and released it slowly.

“I have to admit, I really came here to make sure you we’re okay. I haven’t forgotten the time she humiliated you and all other predators on live television. When you told me you’d be going with her to her family’s farm I was concerned that you’d come back a mess like before.”

He shuffled his feet and looked at the ground, “People change ma, especially Judy. You know her.”

Nick was referring to the few times Judy had met his mother. He had introduced them a few months back, they were never long visits but he thought they liked each other. The pair was at least civil in his presence.

He wondered mostly if his mom could tell him and Judy weren’t just friends anymore, she was acting overprotective, but she never asked him and he couldn’t locate the words to tell her.

She nodded her head, “Yes, I know her, but I don’t know her family. I also know you’re not a young pup anymore, but I worry. Even more so now that you are a cop. I just worry about everything.” She was so ruffled that her pearls rattled.

“Look at me mom, no bullet wounds and no broken heart, I am fine. I’m better than fine, I feel great. I’ve never been this happy.” He was fidgeting and even though it was rude, he hoped her visit wasn’t going to last much longer. 

Nick was thinking about rushing back to Judy’s place to surprise her, and other things.

Mrs. Wilde dropped the subject for now but she’d bring it up later he was sure. The kettle whistled, letting them know it was ready and she went over and took it off the burner. She made quick work of pouring it into the cups then getting tea from his pantry to add to it.

They chatted over the hot beverage, she complained about how small his apartment was and how she didn’t see him anymore unless she came all the way downtown. He made promises to call her more often and visit her in a week or two.

He was still antsy and she finally called him out on it.

“What’s-a-matter? You have somewhere else to be? You’ve been acting like you stood on a nail. You can’t talk with your mother for a while?”

Nick calmed down and set his cup on the counter, “No mom, I’m just ready for work tomorrow. I have another early shift so I was planning on going to bed early.”

He was lying to her face now.

“Well then, I won’t keep you. Would you just walk me to the subway station?” 

There was no way he’d disrespect her and say no. Which is why now, after they left his place, he chaperoned his mother to the station. And then she finagled her way into getting him to travel with her all the way to the condo he bought her in Tundra because she said she had a chore for him to do. 

It turned out to be a broken light bulb in the closet, not terribly important and he was trying to hide his irritation at being brought all the way out here for this task.

Like she was punishing him for lying without telling him she knew. 

He went to throw away the broken light when he asked her, “Need anything else while I’m here?”

She was in the kitchen starting to prepare a meal, it looked like she was deliberately making his favorite dish and she shook her head to tell him no. He made a motion to say goodbye but she gave him a fierce look and corralled him in to staying for dinner now too.

As they sat down to eat, after well more than an hour, she really knew how to prolong his stay, he had given up. At least he got some food out of all this. 

He pulled out his phone to text Judy and she cut him off before he could even do that.

“Who are you calling?” She interrogated.

“Not calling, texting. I’m texting Judy.”

She drummed her claws on the table.

“Mom, what’s going on? What’s with all the smothering? You haven’t been like this since I was a kid.” He proclaimed quite suddenly. She sat back in her chair looking poised and calm.

“How am I supposed to act when my son comes home from the burrows reeking of that girl. Nick what have you done? Please tell me it was a moment of weakness and it’ll never happen again.”

He almost dropped his phone in shock.

“Excuse me?” He demanded.

“I’m sorry I don’t trust her. After what she did. Not after what those brutes did to you when you were younger. Prey will do anything to get what they want. You need to remember I was alive back in the day when they considered putting collars on all predators to keep tabs on us.”

His gaze was engrossed with his phones screen letting her words digest in his thoughts. 

The first reaction was anger, but when he saw her face and how terrified she was he knew it wasn’t prejudice, it was fear. His second reaction was pity and then he tried to comfort her.

“Judy is everything. She risked her life for me, she saved me. She may have been misled about the real world but she learned. She accepts me for who I am and where I came from. I know this isn’t you and that you’re scared, but Mom she would never hurt me like she did. I want you to trust me on this.” 

Mrs. Wilde’s serene demeanor quaked, her bottom jaw quivered and he could smell tears.

“Ma don’t cry.”

“I’m scared for you.” She cried out. “What happens when other mammals find out and don’t like it? What if you become victims of a hate crime against interspecies coupling? I’ve seen the news, there are twisted animals in this world.”

He grabbed her paw and hushed her fears, “If it happens, it happens. I love her and I can’t stop loving her. Also, we’re cops, we’ll handle it. Is that what you’re so worried about? And not that she’s a big bad mean bunny who took your son?”

She laughed loudly, “Took you?! Have you smelled yourself?! You smell like she used you as a fresh napkin. It’s true what they say about rabbits then.”

Nick touched his neck on reflex and made a ‘you caught me’ face. He was just happy she was laughing now.

Mrs. Wilde patted his paw and told him, “Sorry Nicholas, when I discovered her scent on you earlier I thought the worst. You know how I am when you get a new girl.”

“You make me sound like a hound. There haven’t been that many girls, girls worth bringing home to my mom anyways, Judy is it.” He said with finality.

She patted his paw again then removed hers to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“She is a nice girl, pretty too. I guess you could have done worse, like one of Finnick’s sister’s. But give me some time. I’m still worried but that will never change either.”

He sighed and left it at that. 

Later, when she finally let him leave because he really did have to be up early the next morning, he called Judy but it went straight to voicemail. He would try again later when he got out of the subway.

She ended up texting him before then.

 

Judy - (Sorry! Neighbors finally fell asleep, couldn’t answer.)

Nick - (It’s fine. I’m sorry too, my mom kept me a lot longer than I wanted.)

Nick - (You okay?)

Judy - (I’m okay. Just sleepy. U_U. Are you home now?)

Nick - (No. Just got off the subway.)

Judy - (Oh…I miss you. I know it’s cheesy but I really do.)

Nick - (I am irresistible, I know.)

Judy - (…)

Judy - (How’s your mom?)

Nick - (She’s good. Are you sure you’re okay?)

Judy - (I am fine. Exercised, ate, I’m good. Kinda can’t wait to get to work tomorrow.)

Nick - (Great, this pleases me. Work shmurk! JK, I know how serious you are about work.)

Judy - (I’m ignoring that. So…)

Nick - (…?)

Nick - (What’s wrong?)

 

Judy hugged her phone to her chest. She couldn’t tell him as soon as he left her apartment she had a moment where fainting almost occurred. She blamed her hormones and how delicious his scent smelled on her neck and cheeks. It didn’t happen though, and he’d just get concerned and come over. 

Which she wanted but her neighbors were nosey and she didn’t want a crowd when she and Nick…

“Ooohh.” She gasped. She couldn’t afford to think about it.

She also didn’t think she could walk all the way to his place without an issue so she remained on her bed.

Judy brought the phone back up and gave him an excuse. Then she told him goodnight. Lying through text was easy because he bought it and wished her a good sleep.

Her paw clasped around her phone and tried to think of anything else as she fell asleep.

Unfortunately, her dreams betrayed her. She woke up the next morning, 30 minutes before her alarm, wet and turned on beyond all her expectations. Her dreams were fierce but she could only remember glimpses of his paws and eyes.

She all but ran to the bathroom to jump into her shower and pray the desire would squash itself. She turned the water as cold as it could go.

Amazingly, it helped.

She was able to function and even get dressed before being late. Judy hoped that her shower erased any trace of her problem or else Nick would confront her. She was more stressed out about that as she made her way to the precinct with a small bag of blueberries for Clawhauser.

It wasn’t until she walked through the doors of the station that she felt a dull throb in her head again.

Ben waved at her excitedly and she walked to him.

“Why hello there Judy. It’s nice to have you back! How was the wedding?” He asked, beaming from behind his desk.

She put the bag up where he could reach them and said, “It was great. Wedding’s in my family are never a dull moment.”

He took the bag and replied though a mouthful of blueberries, “That’s what Nick was saying! He said you guys got to dance and see the farm. That’s awesome.”

“He’s h-here already?” She asked him, a shudder ripping through her.

“Mmhm! Judy these blueberries, I could kiss your father for growing them! They are delicious.”

She nodded in a stupor and rubbed her paw over her arm.

“Something wrong? Did you two fight over where to eat breakfast again? I thought it was weird when you didn’t show up with him.”

Judy shook her head no and remembered her phone at that second. Because of her morning she didn’t even check it.

She had another missed call from Nick and then a text asking her where she was. The time stamp on the texts alerted her that he had sent them roughly around the time she was in the shower trying not to touch herself. 

“Judy? You okay?” Ben asked peaking over the counter.

Her head snapped her thoughts into focus and she told him as she put her phone away, “Yes, I’m good! Just hoping today is a good day.”   
It wasn’t a lie this time, she begged in prayer for this day to not end badly.

Ben still raised an eyebrow at her un-Judy-like behavior, “Well okay. Don’t be a stranger. Have a good shift!”

She swallowed her anxiety and walked towards the debriefing room. But then detoured to the locker room. 

There were several other cops in there, Francine being one of them and they nodded politely to one another. Judy didn’t stay to make small talk, she rushed to her locker. She just needed a moment.

Her paw swiftly opened the door and she poked around looking for a bottle of aspirin she stored in there. When she found it she parted two pills from it and chewed them in her mouth. It was gross but this way they would absorb in her blood quicker.

She sat down on the bench in the middle of the aisle and tried to clear her mind.

It was ridiculous to be acting this way when she knew he would be here. He worked here. He was her partner. 

Minutes ticked by and she breathed deeply.

The moment she felt calm and mentally held together by rope instead of silly string she left the locker room and finally headed for the debriefing room.

She walked in just as Chief Bogo touched his podium and he nodded curtly at her then said, “Welcome back Hopps.” 

This caused everyone in the room to turn and look at her, Nick included. 

Judy gulped and walked to her seat, the one she shared with her partner. Her partner who didn’t take his eyes off her. His paw extended out to her to help her up on the seat, she took it without thinking.

Her rear plopped on the chair and her thigh became glued to his.

Was he always this handsome in his uniform? 

“Alright, so today I want everyone on the lookout for the vermin who keeps robbing the parking meters. His M.O. has always been to hit machines after 1 so keep your eyes peeled.” Bogo began. He prattled on about other various things needed to be done and then the meeting was adjourned. 

She went to retrieve her keys to the police cruiser when Nick’s hoarse voice stopped her.

“Hey. You didn’t answer my text or call this morning. Everything okay?”

There were still other colleagues in the room so she was able to flakily tell him, “Hmm? Oh yeah, just left my phone on silent. Sorry!”

Judy jumped off the chair and got the keys. She didn’t say another word as she led them both to the yard of police cars. As she got to theirs she unlocked it and jumped in. Her paw went straight to the ignition to turn on the cruiser but his bigger paw slid over her arm to stop her.

“Hold on. Come here I want to do this before you activate the cab camera.” He whispered.

Nick pulled her to him, as much as he could with the devices between them in the car and kissed her heatedly. He must have missed her too because his mouth opened against hers in a rush and his tongue prodded at her lips. She melded with his mouth and kissed him just as hungrily.

He pulled back sharply, spitting.

“What did you eat? A brick? What is that?” He coughed. She must have had bits of pill still in her mouth.

Judy unintentionally killed the mood again but for her it was a blessing.

“Sorry! I chewed on some aspirin before the briefing. Never got a drink.”

“Well let’s go to the coffee shop because now I have to get this taste out of my mouth.” He gagged dramatically.

She rolled her eyes and turned the key. The hemi engine fired up and they were on their way as soon as they buckled their seatbelts.


	15. Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No audience, please.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mature content ahead. be warned. might be a little TMI

With Coffee in paw, they were ready to start their day. It was a timing thing because their scanner could have gone off before they got to the shop but it didn’t.

They started their patrol in relative silence, except for work jargon. Neither knowing quite how to speak because of being recorded.

“That guy just made an illegal U-turn, want to stop him?” Nick asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

She looked ahead, “Yeah but so did that lady, the signs not clearly marked. We’ll have to write that up later. Make a note of it for when we do our statements.”

Judy was all business now and hardly worried about the appalling morning she had. Nick pulled out a small notepad and wrote down the intersection and the time. She gripped the steering wheel, turning them onto another street and their patrol rolled on.

Their careers had been relatively mundane since the Howler Case. That didn’t mean animals stopped committing crimes. It only meant a case of that magnitude was almost nonexistent. They also weren’t vice cops so any further drug missions were not theirs unless specifically delved out by Chief Bogo himself.

Judy shifted in her seat and pushed the brake to stop at a red light. Nick flipped a piece of paper in her face with a message he had written to her. It said, WHY’D YOU TAKE ASPIRIN? YOU OKAY?

She nodded and he took the paper back and scribbled quickly on the other side before the light changed.

He put it back in front of her face and this time he wrote, DON’T LIE. She looked at him and he tapped his nose with his claw, then pointed at her crotch. His boldness made her open her mouth to gape at him.

“I’m fine.” She answered out loud on accident. Then the light went green and her main focus was the road.

Nick groaned in annoyance and folded his arms over his chest. An idea formed in his head and he smirked impishly to himself.

Judy pulled up to another red light and he took a swig from his cup.

“Auuhn. This sure is some good coffee.” Nick declared with a moan. He made sure he dragged out the right parts to make it sound sexual. Judy tensed in her chair and flattened her ears behind her.

“You jerk.”

“What? Did you try yours? It’s really good.” He beamed.

“I can’t drink mine right now.” She stated affectionately while batting her eyes.

“You could if you had stayed home.” He cheerily suggested while batting his eyes at her too.

She turned back toward the road and kept driving, his moan replaying over and over in her head.

The day spanned onwards pretty much like how it started. They were called to two minor traffic accidents and one B and E in Sahara Square where the heat made Judy incredibly uncomfortable. At one point they pulled over a giraffe named Shorty who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. 

They couldn’t transport him in their car so they waited for backup. 

Later, lunch had been quick and eaten in the cruiser with the AC on full blast.

When that was over the rest of their shift was spent pulling other animals over for infractions or for blatantly running red lights. Judy was driving them back into the lot at the police station highly relieved to be getting out of the car and away from Nick because of his teasing.

It was never enough to truly bother her or make her fell faint, she thought the aspirin had helped her there. Ultimately, whatever he did backfired because he’d smell her arousal and he in turn would have to rearrange his position in the car without her noticing. 

She did though, because his heartbeat was boisterous.

She grabbed all their trash and folders as soon as she parked and jumped out of the car and didn’t care if Nick followed her or not. There was paperwork to do and files to be uploaded into the criminal database so she was as always, preoccupied with work.

The lobby was bustling and Ben waved at her from his desk even though he was in the middle of helping a middle-aged beaver. Judy waved back but didn’t stop. She threw away the garbage and readjusted the folders in her paws and went the elevator.

Judy turned back around to see where the fox had gone and noticed he did stop at Clawhauser’s desk to presumably snag some blueberries if the cheetah didn’t eat them all.

The elevator dinged as it arrived and she stepped aside to let the animals herd out and then she walked in with the other mammals waiting. Just when the doors were about to close Nick slipped in.

He weaved his way through the crowd in the compact space, his tail wrapped around him so it didn’t get crushed, to find Judy. His body pressed up firmly behind her and she wanted to run. The lift reached the first stop and instead of anyone getting out, one more animal got in forcing everyone to stand even closer.

Her eyes remained vigilantly fixated on the screen that showed the numbers of the floors instead of closing and leaning back into his chest. She could feel his breath on the tips of her ears and the pain in her head returning.

As soon as the doors opened for their floor she careened out of the elevator and thumped down the hall to where their desk was. Their desk, normally used by one wolf or lion sized cop, was just enough room for the both of them. Two rolling chairs were situated behind it.

She sat down in her seat and placed the car keys on the desk and started in on her paperwork. Nick quietly sat down next to her and followed suit. 

They worked in peace except to confirm or argue over certain details of the day, their shift on the cusp of ending.

The room they were in was filled with other desks and officers all doing precisely what they were doing so teasing would be a dangerous thing to attempt. 

That didn’t stop Nick though.

Judy was trying to word her statement properly for the arrest of the giraffe earlier when she felt weight on her lap. She looked down and his tail had slithered its way on her thighs and she scowled. She looked at him and his face was calm and showed no sign of deception.

“Can you please?” She begged him to remove it. Judy tried to push his tail off but he put it right back.

“Please what?” He replied naively, never taking his eyes off his writing.

“You know, Nick.”

“Do I? Carrots, can’t you see how busy I am? I don’t have time to play games.” He chose that moment to flick his tail over her chest and neck.

Judy almost broke the pencil in her paw. Her head pulsed and burned, but she hid it well.

There was no way she could win with how he was acting so she dove into her paperwork and then began cataloging it into the computer. Because of her perseverance, Judy was done before him. And she hated letting him play dirty but his tail was warm and soft.

Her paw reached down and pet him mindlessly.

Nick let out a hum and munched on a few of the blueberries he stole from Ben as he sorted through multiple papers. With her other paw Judy took out her phone and opened up the internet app. 

She flicked though posts about carrot farming and any other nonsensical thing to keep her mind free of the heat she felt but an idea came to her and she opened up the search engine on her phone. Judy glanced at Nick to make sure he was still working and then looked back at what the internet had found for her.

There were a few articles listed on the subject, the first one looked reliable so she clicked it and waited for it to load.

Lucky for her there were no pictures, but in big bold letters it was titled, 

//TIPS FOR FIRST TIME CLAIMERS//

She felt her ears inflame.

The conversation she had with Nick back on her family’s farm had left her with more questions than the answers he had given her. There was no way she would ask him. This had to be her reservoir of information for now.

It turned out that the article was a blog post of miscellaneous animals all giving advice for this type of ‘claiming’ he talked about. Certain things stuck out like, 

//“Claiming is one of the best things you can do for your partner.”//

//”Claiming with a tiger is easy. They may seem ferocious but become putty in your paws.”//

//“Have you tried oral claiming? It’s all the rage in The Rainforest.”//

//“I tried claiming with a fox. I wasn’t warned about the knotting. Can anyone give me tips?”//

//“Do you know which pressure points to bite?”//

Judy skimmed through them all not knowing where to start, but finally settled on the only one that spoke about foxes. As a precaution she looked at Nick again then propped her head in her free paw to create a shield so he couldn’t see her phone’s screen.

She stroked his tail and read the post.

//“I tried claiming with a fox. I wasn’t warned about the knotting. Can anyone give me tips?”//

//So yeah just like the headline says I rutted with my boyfriend last night and everything was fine like it usually is. I guess I should have said that I’m a lioness and used to claiming. But we never claimed before so we decided to try it and like it was good and I was feeling it until he finished, you know, and got stuck. He said it was normal but he was too embarrassed to tell me!! That’s why I came to this forum. It wasn’t bad it was just bizarre, with a lot of spunk and I just want to know why I guess. He told me it was his ‘knot’ and you wouldn’t imagine the things I found when I looked that up. Any advice will be taken! Thank you – LionessLuv84//

She re-read the paragraph trying to decipher what this woman was talking about but was lost. Her thumb scrolled the page down and the comments offered little to no help.

//Knotting is normal! - SmittenKitten//  
//If he doesn’t knott I would be worried! – JungleJim//  
//Don’t NOT let him knott he’s trying to get you pregnant!! – Wolfenwonder26//

Judy’s paw on her cell stretched out in turmoil. What were these animals talking about?

She tapped her fingers on her phone to open a new window and directly searched, ‘knotting.”

As soon as the options loaded, she chose the first one again. It was a medical referral column for the sexual education of predators, it explained,

//Periodically during the course of mating the 'canid' males penis will lock, (knot) inside the females muscles. This tissue on the penis swells during ejaculation and continues as the females muscle in the vagina contracts and stimulates the penile tissue. This prevents the male from withdrawing from the female for some time. In certain studies-//

She couldn’t bring herself to read any more. 

Judy pressed the return button on her phone, locked it and pushed it far away from her on the desk. She rubbed her temple and pleaded for the pain to dissipate but she couldn’t get the image of this happening to Nick while inside her.

His moans and yelps from their tryst in the bathroom at her parents’ house overtook her senses and she was scalding from her head to her groin. She squeezed his tail tenaciously in her lap and covered her mouth with her other paw to subdue the whine that threatened to come out.

Nick’s tail in her lap departed as he placed his large paw on her back to turn her body towards him.

“Judy, what is going on?” He snapped low so only her ears could hear. “Are you okay?” Her scent was grotesquely tempting and he was sure the other mammals in the room could smell her.

She raised her head in slow motion to look at him and uttered, “I’m not okay. N-nick, I want-t.” She couldn’t finish, the pain in her head slurred her speech. He held her up with his paw on her back.

He scanned the room to see if anyone had noticed their interaction and luckily they weren’t on the radar of their fellow police officers. Judy slumped but caught herself on the desk.

Nick had been right, she should have stayed home. She also shouldn’t have searched all those things on the internet and he shouldn’t have teased her.

Nick put his feet on the ground and stood up. He let go of Judy for a moment to throw the last three blueberries into a clear evidence bag and asked her, “Judy, stand up. Can you stand?”

She didn’t nod, she only got to her feet and tried to straighten her uniform reflexively. He led her out of the room and back to the elevator, she assumed he was helping her walk it off. Fortunately for her he had prepared an emergency plan.

The elevator ride down to the basement where the evidence records were kept was just as crowded as before with mammals. They stayed near the doors so that when they arrived they could leave unnoticed. 

He did everything he could to make it look like he wasn’t holding her upright because she tripped every now and then as they walked.

There was one officer behind the check-in desk, a koala and Nick signed himself in explaining to the small mammal that the evidence in his paw was related to the Night Howler case, somehow. It was the bag of three blueberries he thoughtlessly threw together back at their desk and the mammal bought it.

This room was gigantic. It held rows and rows of shelving from cases the precinct had presided over, spanning years and years of evidence. 

And as Nick took her paw in his, he led her through the door and to the farthest and darkest corner of the room where the boxes were on the brink of the statute of limitations. She looked around, feeling a smidgen better and asked him,

“Nick? What are we/”

He hushed her and dropped the bag of berries on the ground.

“I don’t have a choice, this is the only way I know how to help you.”

Nick lifted her onto one of the shelves so she sat level with his chest and he tried to unbuckle her belt. 

She wanted to stop him, but she kept her paws braced on the shelf as she told him, “We could get terminated. W-what if someone catches us?”

His paws got the button undone and were working on her zipper. 

He replied, “We’ve got my nose and your ears. I checked the sign-in sheet and no one is in here. There are no cameras because why would the city pay to record boxes that don’t move and Judy I need this just as much as you do.”

Judy watched him roll up the sleeves on his uniform blues and shuddered when he put his paws back on her to lift her hips and slip her pants down to her knees.

She was clad in only her underwear and he took a moment to absorb her glow. Judy panted and almost cried as he put his paw under her cloth panties. She bucked on him when his thumb connected with her heat and parted her.

“You’re this close?” He asked in reference to the fevered wetness in his paw. His dick throbbed.

“Ughhnn, Nick just move or something, before I pass out.”

She scooted closer to the ledge and put her fingers on his neck to comb through his fur there.

He moved the paw between her legs in a rhythm she dreamed of.

Judy’s chest heaved in and out as he worked and she closed her eyes in concentration as his knuckles, not claws, gently worked on her clitoris. Nick bent his head forward to nuzzle her neck with his mouth and she was reminded of the online article she read about claiming and rutting and knotting.

Her mouth opened to cry but nothing escaped.

The images her mind created of him claiming her and rutting her into the wall helped her to reach the point of climax where her nerves lost control and she convulsed. She came so abruptly that Nick was the one to moan out loud in her place.

She held onto him, riding the waves of her orgasm and her cheek came into contact with the badge on his uniform. The cool metal brought her back down to earth.

Judy thanked him repeatedly for what he did because her headache was once again dimming.

“This is what you’re going to do, Judy.” He said after she thanked him the sixth time. “Our shift is over but I still have paperwork to finish. Go to your locker and get cleaned up.”

She nodded, “I think I left the keys to the cruiser on our desk.”

“I’ll put them back.” 

Judy thanked him one more. 

Nick didn’t reply he only picked her up and put her on the ground. 

She bent over to pull up her pants when she saw his hard on through his uniform. Her pants rested on her hips, still unbuttoned and she placed a paw over his length to touch him through the fabric. He pushed into her palm but quickly recovered to step back and say,

“We can’t clean that up here, I’ll have to wait.” He complained.

“I’ll make it up to you.” She assured him.

He smirked and growled, “Yes, you will.”


	16. learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude the Dude is not a Prude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy 
> 
> WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD 
> 
> Im going to die arent i. this was a doozie to write. 
> 
> good luck reading it

This time, Nick needed time to compose himself after their excursion so he sent Judy off first so there were no suspicions raised. She walked by the Koala at the evidence check-in desk, didn’t make eye contact and sped off down the hallway to the elevator.

She tried to act normal but there were several drug sniffing officers who gave her knowing looks and she was mortified. Judy hoped her reputation was safe. It was, those cops were highly amused at the resident goody goody cop taking time to have a quickie in the precinct.

The elevator was less crowded this time and she was thankful for the personal space. Her body was still warm and tingling as she walked back into the room where her locker was. She re-opened it and sorted through all types of clothing she had left there. 

After a few minutes she decided on an extra pair of uniform pants she always kept there and a ZPD issued navy polo. This way she wouldn’t rouse any more prying eyes if she had chosen to wear her sweats instead. 

She walked to the showers and cleaned up then went back to her locker to get redressed and throw her soiled clothes in her Zootopia Police Department duffle bag. Although, she separated her badge from her bullet proof vest and put it in her pocket along with her wallet.

That’s when she remembered she left her phone on the desk, she hoped Nick would see it and pick it up.

Judy made sure that she looked respectable and clean in her reflection from the mirror then walked out and headed towards the lobby. Nick didn’t tell her where to meet him but she felt Clawhauser’s desk was an appropriate place. 

The cheetah was always happy to see her and welcomed her company. Judy went behind his desk to stand beside him as he sat in his chair, she set the duffle bag of clothes on the ground.

“You done for the day, Judy? I would be too but I split my shift. What are your plans for tonight?” He said as he eyed her peculiar clothing change, wondering if she had a meeting to go to.

She bit her lip, “M-my plans are the usual.”

“Oh so you’re waiting for Nick?” He asked innocently. The partners always left together, seeing her alone right now was actually pretty strange.

Judy didn’t mean to brush him off but she got quiet and muttered, “Ben? Can I ask you something personal?”

He saw the gravity of the question perched on her face and he leaned in closer for more privacy.

“Anything Judy. What’s going on?”

“It’s just,” She started. “Hypothetically, or rather, have you or have you known anyone here that’s dated a co-worker?”

Benjamin Clawhauser put his paws to his cheeks and stared at her with stars in his eyes.

“Judy, what are you trying to say?!” He mewed.

She held up her paws in alarm at his loud proclamation, “Ben! Keep it down.”

His eyes get even wider.

“I’m sorry. But Judy you have to spill.”

She rubbed her temple out of embarrassment and mumbled, “I think you know already.”

A strangled squeal fought to leave his mouth but he only grinned at her. He knew it was Nick, of course he did.

Ben wheezed, “Judy, when? At the wedding?” She nodded and Clawhauser almost fell out of his chair. He put a paw on the desk to right his posture and beamed down at her.

“I got sick and he took care of me. It sort of just happened.” She admitted hopelessly.

He freaked out as calmly as he could for a minute and then his face became serious and he told her, “You’d better have an official meeting with Bogo before someone catches you. He’d be more inclined to respect you if you both were straightforward with it.”

She put a paw to her chin and nodded, he had a point.

With that business out of the way, Ben demanded, “Nick confessed first didn’t he? The bighearted doof. I’m picturing you two holding hands and I can’t handle it.” She dropped her ears and moved her paw from her chin to her mouth shyly.

Their conversation was cut off by a mammal needing help from him and he put on a professional face and got back to work. She shifted her weight to lean on the desk and wondered absently where Nick was now.

Judy felt her heart seesaw as her foot thumped excitedly. Graciously, Ben was busy and didn’t see her little burst of excitement. She thought maybe Nick wouldn’t be able to see her from her, so she walked from behind the desk to stand in front.

A commotion at the entrance made her look and she saw a gaggle of children walking through the doors of the precinct. It looked like a fieldtrip from one of the local schools had their turn getting a tour of the station and Judy couldn’t stop her smile. The group was making their way towards her and Clawhauser so she took a step to the side and let them up to the desk.

While she was watching them get directions from Ben, Nick showed up and lifted her duffle off her shoulder so he could carry it. His fur was fluffed up and he seemed tense. He went down to kiss her but caught himself when he realized where they were standing.

The children and Clawhauser were looking at her and Nick and she felt embarrassed all of a sudden. Especially since Ben was looking at them like they were a new born litter of kits.

She walked away giving no warning and headed outside. Nick waved goodbye to Ben and trotted after her.

The sun was still bright and the fresh city air was more of a comfort than the suffocating recirculated air of the building. She turned her head and saw Nick catching up to her and he gave her a smile.

“Your place or mine?” He asked raunchily with a hint of aggression. “You know I could barely finish my paperwork.”

“Yours of course. With all the noise you make my neighbors will think I’m killing you this time.” She delegated. His ears flattened in shame.

She went on to say, “I used to think rutting was easy, that’s why I never thought too much about it. But with you, it keeps getting more convoluted.” Judy meant it as a joke and walked away again but he grabbed her upper arm and stopped her.

“What do you mean? Is it because I am a fox?” His eyes were pained and fearful as he asked. His voice carried across the open span of the street and some animals stopped to look. Judy noticed and tried to calm him down.

“Nick, I am not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just not used to it.”

He jerked his paw off her arm and walked away from her.

She jogged to place herself in front of Nick and put a paw on his stomach to stop him. He didn’t move away he just stood there and shifted her bag to his shoulder. For some reason he was ashamed and turned his head so he wasn’t looking at her.

“I’m sorry. Did I say something to upset you?” 

He shook his head, “No, I don’t know. I’m just frustrated, that guy in the lobby pissed me off.”

She had no idea what he was talking about, “What? Who?”

He finally looked at her, “You didn’t see him?”

“See who? What guy?”

He grumbled, “If you didn’t see him it doesn’t matter. Just forget I brought it up.”

“If it matters to you it matters to me, Nick.” Judy offered.

He pursed his mouth and said, “The guy, with all those kids. He took one look at you and. I don’t want to say it.” 

Judy wanted to remember the guy but she only kept seeing the children and Ben. She tried to see it from Nick’s point of view and paused her photographic memory to move the image and sure enough there had been a male jack rabbit with all the children. She didn’t remember him at first because he was standing behind another adult who was taller than him.

It took another second but she realized Nick had been jealous.

Although, he was already acting fragile so she said, “Can you just tell me why it bothers you so much? I didn’t even see him. I don’t care about him.”

Someone honked their horn at a jaywalker and her eyes darted to the disturbance. He chose that moment to say, “It bothers me because you and I haven’t really gotten anywhere. You should have linked with my scent by now but you’re still in heat and guys like that one in the lobby think you’re prey or something.”

She blinked and looked at him, “But I am prey.”

He groaned in frustration, “Not like that. They think you’re an easy rut just because it’s your biology and you’re less likely to turn them down.”

Judy took a step back and furrowed her eyebrows, “Do you think I’d actually go for them, or him? I may be in heat a-and have no control of my body but it’s only because of you. For cheese sakes Nick, even you saying my name makes me, makes me.” She couldn’t spit it out.

He attempted to console her but she said fervently, “We’re going to do it right this time. Link our scents up or whatever you said. I don’t care if it hurts, you’re going to do what you need so you don’t get upset at me. I’m not going to let you think like that again.”

Nick couldn’t look at her. Her words were laced with defeat and this wasn’t how mating was supposed to be. She sounded like it was something she had to do to protect him and he was ashamed for making her think he didn’t trust her. 

He had to tell her the truth.

“Judy, forgive me I didn’t think about what I said. And, I don’t think you’d do that to me, it’s just that/“

He paused and took a deep breath. “I’ve been trying not to be so possessive, burying the thoughts since the reception. But that’s not your fault. It’s just who I am. And there are so many things I want to do with you and for you.”

She stood there mystified and in prime Judy-like fashion she disturbed the genuine thoughtfulness of the situation by asking, “You mean like knotting?”

Nick choked and dropped down to the ground to crouch with his face in his paws, her bag tumbled off his arm to the pavement. She reached out her own paw to touch his shoulder and he shuddered.

“Judy, you can’t just say things like that.” He groaned.

“Why? Isn’t it natural?”

He rubbed his eyes a few times then responded, “Yes, but how’d you even know about that?” Nick removed his paws from his face to stare at her hotly. 

Judy laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head and gave her answer in the form of a question, “The internet?”

One of his eyes twitched, “You looked ‘that’ up on the internet?” He screeched.

“Well no, I looked up ‘claiming’ first. There seems to be a link between the two.” She said in earnest.

If they weren’t in public he would have fallen over. He was still in his police uniform though, so a smattering of propriety remained vigilante to keep him from laying on the sidewalk. She wasn’t joking or pretending and he felt scorched all over.

“Let’s take a walk, Judy.” Nick proclaimed as he grabbed her bag and stood back up.

She followed him until they were a few blocks down the road. He has taken her to a local park and sat her down on one of the benches for some relative privacy. Nick plopped next to her but placed her bag between them.

He crossed one leg over the other and pulled out her cell phone, he’d picked it up from their work desk for her earlier and asked, “You were reading all that on here?” 

She told him yes and he undid the locking sequence and pulled up her search history for the internet. She really wasn’t surprised he knew her passcode, she knew his.

As he read through some of the posts, she disclosed, “This is all I was trying to say, alright? Bunnies don’t have all these rules. But I, I really like that you do. That’s why I almost passed out. I read that and I was thinking about you doing these things with me and I got carried away.” 

She pulled on the collar of her shirt and started to feel warm once more.

When he was done reading he put the phone on his lap, “If you were still confused, why didn’t you ask me?” His voice was low and his pupils were dilating.

“Because I didn’t want you to think I was some dumb bunny.” 

Nick let what she said linger in the air and sighed. 

“You’re not dumb and I’m sorry I ever said that to you.”

Judy smiled at him wistfully and put her paw on his forearm in appreciation of his apology. He sat up straight and turned his body to hers while grabbing the paw that was on his arm with his. His thumb made small circles on her palm.

“Let’s have a real grown up conversation about all this.” He insisted. “Where do you want to start?”

She tapped her nose with her unused paw and reflected back to the information she had acquired on the internet. “Well, about the knotting, it sounds nice. Like a real bonding moment. Am I wrong?”

“It’s something inherited from thousands of years ago that kind of just stayed around. But unlike the past, it doesn’t happen all the time because rutting isn’t just for making pups anymore.”

He added. “We’re not primal now so yes, it’s a bonding thing. It’s usually followed by claiming. And claiming isn’t just for the biting, it’s the nerves that get triggered and raise the importance of the uh, rut.”

Judy listened intently then blurted, “Does it hurt?” He squeezed her paw.

“It depends. That’s one of the reasons I’m hesitant for it to happen. I’ve already hurt you.”

She shook her head, “I’ll suck it up this time, I promise.”

Nick looked at her fiercely, “That’s not mating. You’re asking me to be selfish and I won’t do it. I want you to feel good. I’m not going to let you cry again.”

“You do make me feel good, Nick. I keep thinking about you finishing inside me and I’m sure you can smell how it’s making me feel, even just talking about it.” She closed her eyes and fought off the mental images.

He gripped her paw a second time, “That’s just your primal urges. Plus you’re in heat, your body wants you pregnant. As much as mine wants to be the one to impregnate you when I smell your scent fire up. But that’s why mammals created condoms and other contraceptives. It’s all the fun without the worry.”

She frowned, “So if we use a condom, there’s no knotting or claiming?”

“I don’t think so.” 

Nick rubbed his chin thinking back to the times he rutted in his own life. “At least for me it wont.”

It was her turn to squeeze his paw, “I don’t want to use a condom then.”

“Judy-”

She cut him off, “Please listen. Last time, it was painful, but it also felt fake. Like it wasn’t you, that’s what bothered me the most. I wanted to feel you and all I felt was latex. And maybe if I’m on top I’ll be able to control what’s going on. I don’t know. I’m trying to remember what my sisters always gossiped about and my memories are mixing.” 

Judy was making wild hand gestures and trying to solve their rutting problem with calculations in the air.

He let go of her paw and grabbed her bag to put it in his lap. She looked at him in confusion but his eyes were closed in concentration, he let out a ragged breath.

“Nick?”

“You’re making me hard, Judy.” He gasped.

She bawled her paws into fists on her lap and flushed with want.

“Ughh. I’m trying not to think about what you just said.” He admitted while leaning back. “You’re scent isn’t helping.”

“Nick, I want you, to knot inside me.” She said with finality.

“That isn’t helping either, Judy!” He barked.

“And then, I want you to claim me.” She said smirking. This was payback for their work day and him incessantly teasing her.

He yipped.

“Judy s-stop, I’m still pent up from our adventure in the evidence room. Oh crackers, I shouldn’t have remembered that.” He doubled over, mumbling a mantra to himself of things he considered gross or distracting. She smiled even wider.

Judy let him balance out and as he sat back up he turned to glare at her.

Before he could say anything she announced, “We should go before someone calls the cops and we get arrested for public indecency. Wouldn’t that be ironic?” 

She got off the bench to stand and wobbled, he laughed.

“I could arrest you if that’s what you’re into. I’m still in my uniform after all.” Nick laughed even harder.

“You’re better off not wearing it at all.” She proposed and walked away from him, hiding her grin.

He chased after her and they left the park. Judy made the smart move to hail for a taxi and told the driver the address.

“That’s not my apartment. Where are we going?” He whispered from their seats in the back. The driver paid them no attention.

“It’s the drugstore on the same block. I just remembered a tip from my sisters.”

Nick nodded, but didn’t completely understand. They shared the fare when the taxi dropped them off and they walked into the store together. Upon entering the store clerk recognized the fox.

“Hey, Nick. Long time to see.” 

Judy scurried down an aisle, out of view from the cashier and made wide eyes at her partner. Nick waved her off letting her know he’d handle him while she got whatever they were here for. She sped down the rows of items until she found the family planning section.

Her nose began to twinge as she looked through every shelf for what she needed. The section was rather large to accommodate for the different types of animals, and sizes. Locating the rabbit section was easy, it had the most products.

She found it and her heart sank.

It was behind a locked case.

Judy looked both ways for an attendant but saw a button on the shelf next to the case that advertised, 

Need Help? Press Here!

Her paw hovered over it for a second. She was trying to bring forth the courage to do it and before her anxiety consumed her, she pressed it.

It prompted an automatic spiel that shouted across the entire store.

CUSTOMER ASSITANCE REQUIRED IN FAMILY PLANNING SECTION.

She dropped her ears and gulped. She tried to stand tall as a kind looking pharmacy technician trotted down to where she was.

“How can I help you?” The woman was a pig and didn’t look like she would judge her.

“Uh, I need to buy this.” Judy said as she pointed to the product. The technician smiled and pulled a set of keys from her white lab coat. She unlocked the case, took out the small box and relocked the other items as Judy picked out another product in the same section, just on a different shelf.

“I’ll ring you up back here.” She said and led Judy to the back of the store where the pharmacy was. The pig scanned the box into the register, along with the other purchase, as Judy took out her wallet.

“Credit or debit?”

“D-debit.” Judy stammered.

“That’ll be $58.24.”

Judy swiped her card and didn’t think about the price for this one pill. It would be worth it. As the register processed the payment the technician bagged the small box and looked at Judy.

“Have you used ‘Plan Bunny’ before?”

Judy shook her head no.

“It’s pretty simple. Just follow the directions and you’ll be fine. But don’t wait to take it. You must take it right afterwards, okay?

Judy nodded and felt her face heating up. The register spit out her receipt and the woman handed it to her with the bag.

“Have a nice day.”

“T-thank you.”

She walked as fast as she could back to the front of the store where Nick was still making small talk with the clerk. Her eyes softened and she felt relieved at the mere sight of him.

He looked at her coolly and ended his conversation with the cashier. She walked past them clutching the plastic bag to her side and right out of the store in the direction of his apartment. His longer strides caught up to her and fell into line beside her. 

“What did you get, Carrots?”

“Just something to help.” She wouldn’t tell him anymore than that.

They made it to his front door and his paws shook, “Sorry, I guess I’m a little excited.”

Judy chuckled as he finally got the door open. She had only been in his apartment a few times but took control of the situation by pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. He dropped her duffle bag on the way and she left her shopping bag near it.

Once inside she grabbed him by his tie and took it off. She reached for his work belt and unbuckled it to untuck his uniform. He was unbuttoning his shirt from the top and she from the bottom. 

He shimmied out of it and threw it onto the ground and she undid the clasps to his bullet proof vest.

“Why am I the only one getting naked?” He asked playfully.

“Because, you have to shower. I don’t. You made me at the precinct.” 

She helped him lift the vest over his head and reached for his white tank top and pushed it up and over as well. He was standing in only his pants now, his fluffy chest tantalizingly close.

“Can I have our phones?” Judy asked with her paw held out. He went through his pants pockets and gave them to her.

“I’m turning them off. And I’m locking the front door.”

He watched her leave his bathroom and he turned the water on.

She did like she said and locked the door and made sure both phones were not going to interrupt them this time.

Next, Judy grabbed the bag from the drug store and walked to his bed. His apartment was bigger but it was still a studio so everything was visible in the room.

She emptied the contents of the bag onto the bed and put the ‘Plan B’ on the nightstand. With the other item, she opened the box and removed the bottle from inside to place it on the bed. Then, she took the trash to the kitchen and threw it away. 

The shower was still running so she untucked her own shirt and pulled it off, left only in her sports bra and work pants, as she walked back to the bed. Her own paws were shaking now and she tried to calm herself down but the nerves between her legs were tingling.

That’s when the water shut off. Judy’s eyes fixated on the door frame of the bathroom until he walked out, drying his fur. He was naked except for that towel and she clenched and unclenched her paw.

She reached down to unbutton her pants as he walked over to her. He threw the towel over her head, covering her eyes and said,

“Let me get that for you.”

His claws covered hers and took over the process of taking her pants off. He had just slipped them past her hips when he exclaimed, 

“You weren’t wearing underwear?”

From under the towel she told him, “I didn’t have an extra pair at work.” 

Judy pulled the towel off and the second she did he kissed her mouth, then her pants fell the rest of the way to the ground in a comical fashion.

He pushed her back until she felt the bed on her rear and went to lift her up but she used their momentum to trip him onto the mattress first. 

“Judy?” He questioned as he laid on his back.

She climbed on top of him and straddled his torso to kiss him more. Her lips would stop their journey only to rub her scent on his newly cleaned fur. 

His paws were rampant and needy, pinching her thighs and teasing her center.

When he slipped a claw there she crooned, “Nick, aughh.”

He took his chance at her open mouth to slip his tongue inside.

Her paws searched blindly for the little bottle she put on the bed but couldn’t find it. She stopped kissing him to look with her eyes and it was lying beside his head. When he saw her lean for it he breathed, 

“What’s that?”

She ignored him and scooted her bottom lower, leaving his paws, to accidently rub herself on his cock. 

They both moaned and she scraped one paw down his chest.

That wasn’t her intention but the pleasure was worth it. She continued to scoot over his length to sit on his thighs as he lifted himself on his elbows. She opened the bottle and his nose caught a whiff of the chemically made flavor.

“Is that lube?” He asked, shocked.

“Mmhmm. It’s blueberry.” She stated as if she did this normally.

His heart was pounding as he watched her with his mouth open wide pour a fair amount into her palm.

“I don’t think you understand, Nicholas Wilde, how much I like making you lose your cool.”

Her paw came into contact with the head first and he wrenched himself further into her grip. When she stroked down he fell back onto the bed gasping.

The lubrication made him more slippery than when she touched him in the shower and she had to calm down before she grinded on his leg to earn some friction. He broke out of his cloud to caress her knees and thighs again and she cooed several times.

Just like before he yelped and thrust into her paws. She thought he was getting too close and she feared he’d come but not while inside her, so she put a bit more lube on him before crawling upwards.

Judy settled herself over him and hovered while guiding him into her, parting her lips. It hurt again but he was moaning hoarsely and she trudged on. She let go of him to slide all the way down and braced her body on his stomach with her paws. 

“Are you s-sure about this?” He pled, wheezing. He was clenching his teeth and trying not to show how good it felt to be in her, feeling her like this for the first time with no latex barrier. His claws dug politely into her outer thighs and buttocks. 

There were no tears, only discomfort and she flexed her pelvic floor muscles around him to determine her pain level. It was minimal, telling her the natural state of their rutting combined with the lube was a very good idea. But he was still a fox and much larger. 

She flexed the muscles inside her core again and he whined urging her to move or to tell him to. He opened his eyes to see her staring at the ceiling, her face twisted in slight displeasure. Nick lowered his gaze to look where they connected and the sight motivated him to maneuver his paw there. 

He bent his index claw and flicked his knuckle on her clitoris. 

Her paws gripped the fur on his stomach as her hips rolled instinctively on their own. She cried out at the brisk pleasure and he got the movement he was begging for.

Judy rolled once more when she felt his claw rub her generously. The more he did that, the more she felt like rising up, so she did. Her knees lifted her up halfway and his other paw on her hip pushed her back down.

Their moans were unanimous. 

It didn’t feel bad like before, she just felt full. He was hot inside her, expanding somewhat and she lifted up higher this time.

Then, she pushed back down with him. She heard him grunt and it sent a wavering of goodness to build within her.

He found a groove on her clit that made her shudder and she breathlessly requested, “Right there, yes. Oh it feels good, Nick.” He obliged to her begging and she rode him more agilely. His paw combined with his full length inside her were pushing her further towards her peak.

It was diverse than before, she felt like she was going to burst and all at once she did. She came, shaking on top of him, with a shout.

“Oh, oh Nick!” She yelled. He held her, waiting for her to wake up from her orgasm. 

Unfortunately, the sensations she created were too much for him. He had to keep moving. His body demanded it, he had to rut.

Nick lifted himself up and kissed her, waking her, then flipped their positions so that he was on top. His back made and arch as he bent to lick her neck and procure a spot he could latch onto when the time came.

Judy stared at him, he nibbled on the spot between her shoulder and neck, wondering and waiting. 

This is what she wanted. 

He pushed her bra strap down and licked her all around that spot, she moaned into his ear. He fought not to bite her at that second, she tasted divine.

His hips jerked and he finally started a rhythm inside her with a low growl. It was tight and slick and most importantly, Judy. He felt her squeeze around him whenever he filled her the entire way and it would make him yelp.

“Judy,” He said, his voice gravelly and husky. “It’s, I can’t help it. Tell me again this is what you want. I need to know.” 

She wrapped her paws around his neck and croaked, “Don’t stop.”

He whined into her mouth, kissing her and thrust into her more rapidly. She tried to help him by working her hips with him but he put a paw on her pelvis to stop her. She could feel him bolstering and a bulb became more detectable each time he pushed in.

There were a few more powerful drives straight into her heat when three things happened all in order.

Firstly, he screamed knotting inside her. 

Secondly, his first ripple of spunk expelled in her womb. 

Finally thirdly, his teeth clamped down on her.

He snaked his paw on her neck to lift her to sit on his lap, never releasing her collar. Judy was in awe and didn’t know what to feel, she couldn’t even cry out.

His jaw bit down adding more tension to her nerves and it sent a shock to her center. She constricted her pelvic muscles around him fully and another load of his ejaculate erupted inside her. It was empowering to experience it and to hear the whimpering from his mouth vibrating her chest. It enveloped her soul and her heart soared. There was no pain under his teeth, only pressure.

She reached up and stroked his ear while the other paw raked through the fur on his chest. His tail thumped on the bed. 

After some time his jaw loosened, disengaging. He licked and kissed her where his teeth had left imprints, one had broken the skin. Nick apologized but she revealed to him that she couldn’t even tell. He apologized more anyway saying she would be sore later.

The whole ordeal left her wanting more and she blamed her heat for that. At some point she tightened around him again and he came once more.

“This didn’t happen in the shower at my folk’s house.” She proclaimed quietly.

He nodded, riding out the last wave and said, “I wasn’t trying to make babies then.”

“You aren’t now either.” She argued.

“My dick doesn’t know that, Judy.”

She shrugged and he massaged her bite mark with his clawed thumb. The touch felt nice and she leaned into him.

“I love you, Nicholas.”

He wrapped his arms tightly around her small frame and uttered, “I love you too, Judy.”


	17. Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The future holds many mysteries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you'll like where this is headed now that ive established their relationship. ill do my best to keep you entertained.
> 
> please forgive my poor grammar and everything else
> 
> im not sure about updates right now? my life is becoming hectic. i apologize

When she was finally able to move, with his assistance, he lifted her up and pulled himself out of her. The knot had dispersed and they could at last clean themselves up. Both of them needed a second to acclimate to the separation and something happened, which Nick knew would.

He parted from her with a groan and everything he had put inside her, most of it anyways, came out and spilled down her legs and onto his lap.

“Oh my.” 

Judy couldn’t say more than that. 

Nick was relaxed to the point of falling asleep, but he felt sheepish, “That usually doesn’t happen. Or maybe it does and you’re too small. I don-Omphh-“

Judy had thwarted his mumbling with a kiss. There were no tongues, only lips and they pecked a few times until she stopped with a peep because he pinched her cheek. 

And not the one on her face.

He leaned back to grab the towel off the ground, the one from his shower and wiped the come dripping down her thigh’s. Nick really didn’t know how he was supposed to feel or what emotion he should convey to her. She had made the ultimate choice to understand his predator custom and if he could love her anymore he would. 

Judy smiled at him and he felt his heart patter. She clamored off of him to the floor and stood next to the bed. The shift caused more liquid to escape from her and she locked her knees with a clap as her legs smashed together. 

He stared at her lower half, captivated by the glittering of his spunk attempting to escape, until her paw disrupted his line of vision by curling her finger in his face. They made eye contact and Judy was smirking.

“I’d punch you but as you can see, you’ve found my only weakness.”

He laid back down on the comforter and laughed at her, she ignored him and spun to try and waddle to the bathroom. She didn’t get too far before he swooped her up to carry her bridal style.

They shared the shower together, then after they shared a take-out in his kitchenette. She didn’t have any clean clothes with her which meant she was wearing one of his old t-shirts and he liked that a little too much. 

After dinner she remembered to take the pill she had bought from the pharmacy and he took off the soiled comforter from his bed and found another one in his closet. He returned to her side just as she pried open the box and he took the discarded package in his paws.

“What’s Plan B?”

She was reading the directions and told him off paw, “It’s to prevent pregnancy.”

He looked down at the box and felt lost. The sudden overwhelming sadness confused him. He knew they weren’t trying to make a pup or even a litter of pups, but regret flowed through his veins. His eyes followed her paw as she popped the pill in her mouth and he almost stopped her.

She took a sip of water from the glass she got from the kitchen and that was it.

Nick looked back at the box in his paws and crumpled it up and walked to the trash to throw it away. He stood there and tried to comprehend his bitterness as she wrapped her arms around him.

“I hope we can do that again soon.” She tempted, rubbing her scent over his naked stomach. He was only wearing a pair of boxers.

He embraced her, not letting her see his sorrow and said, “Me too, Carrots.”

Time didn’t stop and soon they were fast asleep on his bed. 

The next morning Judy’s alarm went off even earlier than normal because she needed to stop by her apartment for a new uniform. 

And underwear. 

She was walking down the hallway in her building, wearing the same shirt from last night and the pair of pants she went to his house in, with Nick walking behind her. He was already dressed in his police uniform holding her duffle bag from yesterday.

Her neighbors must have heard her keys rattling because they both stuck their heads out of their apartment.

“Hey Judy, we didn’t hear you come home are…you…okay?” They noticed she was adorned in ‘walk of shame’ clothes and their eyes went straight to Nick.

“Dude, she’s gone feral.”

Judy rolled her eyes and opened her door to walk in her studio.

Nick raised his eyebrows at the two males and didn’t say a word as he stepped in behind her.

She buzzed around her small room and gathered her clothes, took the duffle bag from him to get her vest and proceeded to get dressed. She had her pants off and grabbed her fresh pair of underwear to put on when he whistled.

She glared at him and he told her, “You could always go commando, you know, like yesterday.”

Judy rejected his idea and pulled on her briefs.

He put his paws in his pockets and breathed through his nose. He liked her apartment because her scent was everywhere. Nick took another long drawl of air through his snout and she smelled different. Her scent smelled confused, like it didn’t know if it wanted to smell like heat or normal.

Like last time, when he cut her on accident with his tooth, he walked up to her. He made sure he saw him and put his nose to her neck and breathed deeply.

“What’s wrong?” Judy asked, clipping her badge to her vest.

“I don’t know. I smell myself because of our link, but I also smell your heat but then I don’t.”

“Maybe I’m at the last part of my cycle?” She offered.

He took another whiff, “Maybe. It could be that pill you took as well. Doesn’t it alter your body?”

She nodded, “It forces my something to something. All I know is it prevents babies. I definitely don’t want babies.”

Nick backed off her and frowned. He turned away and went back to the door to wait for her.

She noticed his change in behavior and thought it was because he was upset at her cycle ending. Judy walked over to him when she was ready and placed a paw on his back.

“You know, since my heat is ending, you can tease me and I won’t get sick right? But if we had another moment in the evidence room I wouldn’t mind.”

He smiled down at her and didn’t say anything except for, “You ready?” She said yes and watched as he grabbed the handle to open the door. There was something else bothering him.

Judy wondered what could be wrong with him, even until they walked through the doors of the ZPD. Clawhauser was there of course and he was frantically waving them both over. 

As soon as they were a few feet in front of his desk he said,

“Chief Bogo wanted me to tell you to go straight to his office when you got here. And before you ask, I don’t know what it’s about, he looked upset.”

Judy looked at Nick the same time he looked at her and both of their faces were quizzical.

They said goodbye to Ben and made their way to Bogo. Judy rubbed her paws nervously and at one point she grabbed one of her ears.

“Nick, you don’t think he found out about what we did here yesterday, do you?” She was looking all around and trying to read the looks people were giving them. 

“If it is that, Judy, I’ll take responsibility. But I doubt it. Like I said, no one was there.” He was projecting a suave attitude but Judy could hear his heart beat and it was not relaxed.

They made it to Bogo’s office and the door was open. Their boss looked up and then back at his paperwork,

“Come in and close the door.”

Judy noted the Chief’s seriously grave undertone and walked in as Nick closed the door. She hopped up on the seat and Nick soon did the same.

“Why do you think I called you both in here?” He bellowed, his deep voice terrifying her.

She was about to make a full confession and jump on his desk and beg for her job when Nick answered sarcastically, 

“We didn’t cross our T’s and dot our I’s on our paperwork?”

Chief Bogo didn’t smile. He opened his drawer roughly and pulled out an evidence bag with what looked like a handful of blueberries.

Judy’s vision blurred. This was it.

Nick remained calm and inquired tensely, “What are those sir?”

“You know what they are, Wilde.”

There was silence, only broken by the Chief’s ragged breathing until he asked, 

“How badly do you both want your detective shields?”

Judy took that as a threat and went to blow the wad on her and Nick when Bogo continued.

“What you’re looking at in that bag is our only viable evidence of a new string of drug. Narcotics has been on the trail for two months now and leads are diminishing. They sent this case to me because you two were the ones to crack it the first time and they want a fresh pair of eyes to investigate.”

The Chief pulled up a folder from his desk and handed it to Nick. He opened the folder as Bogo kept talking.

“Someone has been taking Night Howler’s and expertly extracting the part of the plant that causes mammals primitive instincts to come alive. They’ve mixed it with another drug called alprazolam. They’ve been calling it ‘Blue Moon.’ When the two ingredients are dosed together they give you the high of primitive power without all the side effects of attacking randomly.”

Nick handed the folder to Judy so she could see and asked, “So, they resort back to their olden ways and what?”

Bogo placed his forearms on the desk.

“It causes a sense of euphoria and makes you think you are invincible. Yesterday a squirrel, doped up on the drug, thought he could stop the train with his bare paws. You can guess how that ended. This drug is highly addictive and worse than anything we’ve seen.”

Nick and Judy winced.

“This is where the evidence came from. He had this stash on his body when they found him on the rails. Narcotics has tried to pinpoint a manufacture but they only find more dealers and none of them are talking. I want you both to canvas the spots where this drug is readily available and find out where this drug is coming from. If you solve this case, I will give you both your detective shields. Take an unmarked car until you come back with the leader.”

Judy had been worried at the beginning of his conversation but what he just said made her giddy. It was a real chance for her and Nick to prove themselves again even though they didn’t have to.

“We’re on it sir.” She said with a salute. 

She jumped off the chair with the folder for the case as Nick dictated, “Yes sir. But, we have something else to disclose with you Chief.”

Bogo made no gesture of comfort and waited impatiently for the fox to speak.

“Myself and Judy, I mean Hopps and I, are romantically involved. We wanted you to hear it from us sir.”

The chief stood up fully and towered over the both of them as he walked from behind his desk to the door.

“The only way I will care about the two of you being together is when it interferes with your ability to do your job. As soon as that happens, that’s when it becomes my problem. Now get out of here, I want this drug off my streets, we clear?”

Nick stood up and grabbed Judy by the arm to retreat. They made it one foot out of his office when he shut the door on their backs.

“I think I’m going to have an aneurism.” Nick admitted as they walked back to the lobby.

Judy nodded and clutched her chest, “When I saw him bring out the bag I thought the worst.”

“I knew it wasn’t the blueberries from yesterday, I ate those. He said I knew what they were and that’s because I could smell them. This is amazing. We didn’t get caught, in a building full of cops.” He said jovially. 

She looked at his smug face and rolled her eyes.

“I guess this means we don’t have to go to de-briefing. Where do you want to start, Nick?”

He took the folder from her paws and flipped through a few papers, “It says a few arrests have been made near the coast on Harbour St. That’s the closest location besides going all the way into Tundra Town. We should start there.”

She nodded resolutely and they headed towards the impound lot to procure a car for their investigation. The only available vehicle for their size of mammal was a hatchback and it was too big for Judy to reach the pedals but Nick managed just fine.

The drive to the coast took almost an hour because of a pile up on their way but they finally made it to Harbour Street and parked the car.

“We should probably just look out from here, we’re not exactly conspicuous in our uniforms.” Judy stated from the passenger seat. She was right, they’d get nowhere it if they exited the normal car in their police getup. For an hour or two they watched the streets, drove to several spots and shared a few theories on the case. They concluded that this person, whoever they were, saw what Bellwether had accomplished and wanted to do much of the same. 

A copycat.

“Wait do you see this guy? On the corner in the blue cap.” Nick said pointing to her right.

“You mean the one standing in the middle of the sidewalk? He sure does seem to be out of place.” Her eyes narrowed in on the young male deer with short antlers glancing left and right like he was looking for someone. She hoped he wasn’t a runner because it wasn’t his size that bothered her, deer were fast. 

A lot faster than her.

He stayed on the sidewalk in that same place for a few minutes until he turned because a shifty looking skunk was approaching him. 

Nick and Judy watched them exchange something from paw to hoof.

“You ready fluff?” Nick asked her, placing his paw on the door handle.

“The deer not the skunk. The skunk isn’t our target.” She informed him.

He nodded and they opened their doors right when the deer in the blue ball cap was walking away. When they were five feet from the suspect Judy yelled authoritatively, 

“You in the ball cap! Hold up, we’ve got some questions for you!” She was always too forward when it came to apprehending mammals, as soon as the buck heard her, he took off down an alleyway when he saw the two cops.

Nick was the first to react and charged after him and Judy took the street to try and cut them off.

They intersected a block away and Judy had the upper hand with her height as she slid into his legs with her feet to trip him. Nick tackled him to the ground at the same moment, wrenching his hooves behind his back, but the deer tried to ram his antlers backwards to thwart the fox.

“Stop resisting! We only want to talk to you!” Nick yelled while the deer thrashed under him. Judy appeared, having recovered from her slide and held his antlers while her partner put a pair of cuffs over his wrists. The deer gave up then and heaved into the gravel of the sidewalk.

“You okay?” Judy asked. One of the antlers had torn Nick’s shirt.

“I’m good.”

Nick stood up and forced the deer to stand with him. He slammed him against the brick wall of the building they were near and began to pat him down. Although, he didn’t find anything but a wad of money in his pocket.

“No wallet and no ID? What’s your name, kid?” Nick demanded.

“I have the right to remain silent. Now arrest me or get the hell out of my face!”

Judy, from the side, tried to be nice.

“If you help us, we won’t arrest you. Just answer our questions, that’s all we ask. We saw you make a transaction with that skunk, was it Blue Moon he bought? Who’s your supplier?”

The deer looked like he took her offer into consideration but covered it up with a sneer, “I’m no narc and I ain’t got nothing on me. Check my pockets again you dirt hopper!” The derogatory name was yelled at Judy and Nick twisted his arm in retaliation. 

It was an accident of course.

Judy twitched her nose at the suspect and grabbed the radio from her belt and brought it to her mouth, “Officer Hopps to dispatch.”

There was white noise then a response came out, “Dispatch. Go ahead Hopps.”

“Wilde and Hopps requesting transport at 9th Street in Savannah Central.”

The dispatcher confirmed with Judy then told her a cruiser would be there shortly. The deer snarled as much as he could, Nick never lifted him off the wall.

When the other officers arrived they took away the deer and Nick shook his head, watching them place the kid in the back seat. He knew he’d make bail and be back on his corner by the end of the day. It was futile. 

As the suspected criminal was driven away, Nick sighed angrily, “I have a feeling they’ll all be like this, Carrots.”

She looked up at him and agreed apathetically. 

He had no idea how right he was.

For the next several days, almost two weeks, every mammal they found dealing was vacant with answers. Although, some of them were actually arrested with the drug in their possession, they still weren’t talking.

Nick and Judy were in the middle of their shift, this time dressed in their street clothes with their badges in their pockets, sitting in the car discussing any leads.

They had none.

Which is why that morning, Chief Bogo reamed them and made them aware he wasn’t too positive they could handle this case and threatened to take it away from them. They were invested in it too deeply now and told him adamantly that they would solve it. They had to.

As far as their relationship status went, they were closer than ever. Her heat cycle had stopped the morning she took the Plan B and her body went back to normal. They shared both apartments, keeping clothes at both, but always rutted at his place. 

They tried once in her room but her neighbors commented on it while they were in the midst of it and killed the mood. 

It was just rutting though, not claiming or knotting. 

Nick had refused not to use protection since the first time they did without it and Judy would complain about it every time he slipped a condom on instead of just taking her like she wanted. 

She assumed it was because of the stress of the case. 

Despite all that, he never left her wanting and his impish mouth made her come plenty of times, so she could handle not being claimed for a little longer.

As they sat there in their unmarked car, a stillness overcame them. They were in Tundra Town doing the same thing they had been doing for the case, except today it was so cold that no one was on the streets. 

Nick broke the silence by saying, “My mom’s place isn’t too far from here. We should probably stop by. She could feed us too.” 

He was trying to tempt her with free food and her stomach grumbled at that exact second.

Judy shrugged and he took that as a yes and started the car.

She wasn’t too keen on visiting with Mrs. Wilde. He had told her how she reacted to him telling her they were dating and how she wasn’t thrilled. But she was just a product of her era and Judy tried hard not to think about it. Maybe time was what the older fox needed in order to get used to the idea of her son dating a bunny.

They pulled up to her condo in no time at all and ran to her front door because of the blistering wind. He knocked and pulled Judy towards him to share warmth.

Mrs. Wilde opened the door with a bright smile on her face and even greeted Judy with a hug. She rushed them both inside and brought them to the island in her kitchen. 

“What a nice surprise! I’m so happy to see you both.” 

Nick shook off some of the snow dust from the top of his head, “We we’re in the neighborhood. Thought we could get a meal out of you.” He said with a laugh.

His mother clapped her paws and immediately pulled out pots and pans.

Judy sat down on one of the barstools at the island and admired the kitchen because she had never been there before. It was modern and large, Nick really took care of his mother when he bought her the place. The older fox smiled warmly at Judy and offered her tea. She couldn’t deny her and accepted it happily.

Mrs. Wilde was preparing some sort of pasta dish and remarking about the weather when she turned around and asked, “What brings you both to the Tundra?

Nick had his mouth full of cookies he found on the counter so Judy answered, “We’re on a case.”

His mother nodded, not needing any further explanation and looked back at her pots on the stove, one of them she had filled with water. She hummed a tune while stirring the sauce then asked, “How is everything, Judy?”

“It’s been tough. We can’t find anyone who will talk to us and we keep making empty arrests. We’re running in circles.”

Mrs. Wilde looked at Judy and said, “I meant, how my son has been treating you, I want to know if I raised him right.”

Nick choked and his mother slid a glass of water to him with a smile. 

Judy put her paws in her lap and fumbled, “He’s been great. You did a good job, he treats me like a queen.” She was sure she could see the blush under her fur. Nick was still trying to swallow the cookie bits in his throat.

His mother turned, with a grin, once again to her pots and added the pasta to the water that was now boiling.

“I won’t lie to you, Judith and I am sure my son has told you that I wasn’t comfortable with the two of you dating. But I can’t deny my son happiness and he really seems to be happy. Except for right now. Nicholas, I taught you how to chew your food, stop fooling around.” She snapped at him. 

He coughed and sipped more of his water.

Judy drummed her paws on the counter in embarrassment and Mrs. Wilde continued.

“What are the plans for the future? Marriage? Pups? Would they be pups? I’m sure they’d be darling either way.”

Judy and Nick answered at the same time.

She said, no.

And he said, someday.

Mrs. Wilde looked at them both, “Well, which is it? I can tell you claimed her, Nicholas, smelled it the instant I hugged her so your intentions are clear. Why wait?” Her full attention was on Judy expecting her to answer.

She gulped.

“Our careers are still so demanding. And that’s my main priority now.” Judy said, almost apologetically as if she was hurting her with her words.

She excused herself, face burning and asked where the bathroom was. His mother gave her the directions and Judy left the kitchen. Mrs. Wilde looked at Nick who was teetering on being upset and she walked over and put an arm on his shoulder.

“Son, I can guess those aren’t your thoughts on the matter? Did you know she didn’t want children?”

“Yeah.” He griped. 

“Then why claim her?”

He groaned and rubbed his face, not ready to have this talk with his mom, “Because I love her. I didn’t know how much I wanted kids until it happened. I haven’t been able to talk to her about it. The only thing I keep thinking about is her getting mad and breaking up with me.”

She squeezed his shoulder, “She just needs to understand that her career won’t end just because of a few babies. I think she’ll come around to the idea, just talk to her. Plus I want grand-pups, so do it soon.”

The pasta in the boiling water needed attention and Mrs. Wilde walked back over to the stove to drain it in the sink.

Nick crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. Older people always made things like this seem easy and not life changing. He knew he and Judy had been friends for a long time but their relationship was still new. But an image of her pregnant entered his mind and his face blazed at the thought.

The female in question returned to her seat at the island and he leaned back in his chair to look at her. Judy seemed frazzled and her face was moist, she must have washed it in the bathroom.

Then, Mrs. Wilde served him and Judy a plate of food each and he put forth all his attention on that. It was less frustrating to deal with.

They ate as his mother made idle chatter and Judy raved at how good the food was. When they were done they thanked her and she said, “It was no big deal. Please visit me again soon.”

Judy grabbed Nick’s arm when they entered the frigid air. His mother’s words, ‘no big deal,’ replayed over and over in her ears and she looked up at him to exclaim, “Mr. Big! Why didn’t we think of him sooner? We should go ask him if he’s heard anything about the Blue Moon drug!”

Nick put her in the car instead of answering, then rushed around to his door to get in. She was waiting impatiently for him to give an opinion on her idea as he buckled his seat belt.

“It’s a good idea, Carrots.” He admitted, turning on the car. It really was. If anyone could help them, he would be the one. He had eyes all over Zootopia.

What made it even better was that they were in Tundra Town already so getting there would be quick. 

Nick turned out of the parking spot and headed to Mr. Big’s headquarters.


	18. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew I could feel the way I do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after i posted last night i had a surge of life smack me in the face cause i knew i had to continue and leave you all with this cliffhanger instead...
> 
> lol

The headquarters’ wasn’t only that, it was also Mr. Big’s house and it was still heavily guarded by enormous polar bears. They had trouble getting through his front gates because security didn’t recognize the vehicle they were driving, but when they showed who they were in the surveillance camera, they were let in without a fuss.

Nick parked the car and they were lead inside the home, down a few corridors, then taken to the same room they had first encountered the mob boss. He was waiting for both of them this time, the room filled with gargantuan guards and he greeted them as they walked in.

“Nicky, Judith. What pleasure do I have in speaking with you today?” He breathed. Judy went up to him and kissed him on the cheeks.

“We need your help again, sir.” Judy spoke calmly, with a hint of desperation. Mr. Big waved his paw for her to continue.

“We’ve been put on a case and have exhausted all our leads and hopes of solving it. We want to know if you have heard of anyone, or know anyone distributing the Blue Moon drug?”

Mr. Big sighed and asked her, “Is that the one that resembles the one from awhile back?

“Yes,” She started. “Someone has manipulated the plant with another drug to give all the effects of primal urges, only with this drug you don’t appear to go savage. It dangerous, three people have died from direct use so far.”

The arctic shrew contemplated his response then snapped his fingers. The polar bears surrounding them vacated the room at once, all except for Big’s personal guard Koslov.

“I’ve heard of this drug.” Mr. Big wheezed. “It has infiltrated my business to the point I don’t even trust my own men anymore. I may run an unpleasant trade, but I’ve told my men never to get involved with drugs. It’s bad for business.”

Judy nodded hopefully. It sounded like he was about to give them their first big lead. Nick, for the most part, remained silent to absorb the information.

“I’ve tried to weed out the insurrection in my family, but I’ve only gotten as far as finding the club where the main dealers congregate. So, it seems we all have the same problem.” Mr. Big puffed while leaning back in his chair.

“I promise we’re doing what we can to get this drug out of Zootopia. We’ll do whatever it takes.” Judy pleaded.

The older mammal nodded solemnly and said, “I trust you to do this, Judith. I just don’t know if I want to send the Godmother of my Granddaughter to such a decrepit establishment. There’s a lot of debauchery and sin that takes place there.”

She was touched at his protectiveness but vigilantly requested, “Sir, with all due respect, I have to solve this case. The city’s and your family’s safety is at stake and I feel it’s my responsibility to stop it.”

He nodded again and folded his paws over his stomach, “There are certain things you must be willing to do, Judith. Things that go against your code of ethics. They are hideous animals and won’t trust you unless you prove yourself to them. Koslov, inform them.”

The gigantic polar bear looked at Judy and said gruffly, “My nephew has managed to gain their trust, it has taken a long time but they are finally giving him some freedom. He might be able to get you a meeting with one of the main dealers. But if they find out you’re cops, it would be the end for you and my nephew. So you can see the gravity of the situation.”

Judy agreed while staring up at the massive bear and said for a second time, “They won’t find out who we are I promise.” 

Mr. big, at last satisfied with her brevity told her, “You do this, Judith and I will forever be in your debt. I have confidence in you, but I still don’t like charging you with this task. It pains me to send you, whom I consider a daughter, into enemy territory. But when we are sure they’ll accept you into the club, expect a call from Koslov personally.” 

He reached out for her paw and she gave it to him for him to kiss. She tried to appease him and assure him everything would be okay, but he waved her off.

The shrew then professed, “Fru Fru is here, with young Judy. I’m sure she would love to see you.”

Judy smiled and kissed his cheeks once more, then Mr. Big nodded at Nick.

The last thing she heard from him as they left the room was, “Give all my love to your mother, Nicky.”  
The fox told the mob boss he would and then he trotted after Judy as she went looking for Fru Fru in the large mansion.

Judy found her in a massive sitting room with baby Judy playing on the floor, which was really the top of a coffee table. 

Fru Fru was sorting through clothes and screamed in delight when she saw Judy. 

Little Judy stared at her mother with wide eyes.

“Oh my god, Judy! I haven’t seen you in so long.” The female artic shrew drawled out in her eclectic Italian accent. She ran to the edge of the coffee table to give Judy a hug.

“I know, I’m sorry. We have this new case and we haven’t had any free time.” Judy replied. Fru Fru released Judy and saw Nick behind her.

“Hello, Nicky. It’s nice to see you too!”

He smiled and said hello to her, but sat down in a chair at the other end of the room to give the girls some privacy.

“What’s wrong with him?” The shrew asked in a whisper.

Judy bent down and said, “We have a lot of work to do and-.” She stopped short and listened to make sure what she was hearing was true.

“Fru, are you pregnant again?” Judy blurted. 

The mob boss’s daughter became bashful and touched her own cheeks, “Guilty! How did you know? I’m starting to show aren’t I? That’s why I have all these clothes, I’m not fitting into my old maternity clothes. I think I’m having twins or something.”

Judy beamed down at her, “I can hear their heartbeats. They’re faint, but I definitely hear two!”

Fru Fru gasped and looked at little Judy on the ground and yelled, “You’re going to be a big sister twice! Can you imagine? This is amazing! Judy,” She said looking back at the cop. “You’re better than my doctor!”

They giggled and little Judy crawled up to the edge of the coffee table near big Judy and reached up her arms.

The rabbit, after helping with many litters of her mother’s, picked her up expertly and held her tightly as the baby shrew snuggled into her arm.

“She’s getting too big. Don’t let her grow anymore, Fru.” Judy expressed, while petting the little girls head.

Fru Fru laughed, “You’ll just have to start making your own, Judy.”

This conversation again. Twice in one day.

Judy groaned loudly in annoyance, “It’s not for me. I’m too busy busting bad guys. That’s why I have you so I can get my fill of kids whenever I want.”

Nick stood up briskly and excused himself. 

He told Judy he would be waiting in the car and she noticed his tone was filled with animosity. Fru Fru didn’t see his tantrum, she just said goodbye to him normally.

Except, Judy must have kept her gaze on his retreating form too long because her friend cleared her throat to get her attention.

“What’s going on with you and him?”

Judy shrugged, “I don’t know. He was fine when we woke up this morning.” She turned her head back to look at the shrew when the smaller mammal screamed.

“Judy. Oh. My. God!”

“What?!” Judy yelped.

“You and Nicky?! Don’t lie to me. You just said you woke up in bed with him!”

Judy cast her gaze to the ceiling and stuttered, “I don’t have to lie, and it’s true. We’re kind of dating now.”

“What do you mean, ‘kind of’ dating?”

Judy adjusted the child in her arm and decreed, “Well, it’s like this. Everything is the same as before, except now with rutting.”

She paused, her face heating up.

“He loves me and I love him. I’m not sure if you’d call that dating. Actually, we haven’t been on a real date, unless you count getting coffee or lunch together. Basically, we’re a thing.”

Fru Fru was over the moon and bouncing.

“I was hoping you two would get together. Did you tell Daddy? He was rooting for you both too. He always said Nicky needed a woman like you to keep him in line.”

She shook her head, “We didn’t get a chance to tell him, you can if you want.”

The shrew twirled and clapped her paws. She stopped swiftly and looked at Judy with a determined face.

“You mean to tell me you don’t want kids with that handsome fox? Why not? You both have good jobs and are more than able to provide for a baby!”

For the first time in her life, Judy thought about the prospect of kits without being adamantly biased about it. 

She pictured herself with a round belly like Fru Fru and then the image switched to holding a newborn bunny with a fox tail. She wondered if that would even be what their children would look like and sighed happily.

“I don’t know Fru, where would we find the time for a baby?”

Her friend smiled warmly and reached up on her toes to pat Judy’s arm, “You make time. And I’m sure Zootopia’s best cop would be allowed maternity leave. If not, come work for Daddy, he’ll make sure that you want for nothing.”

She stared off at the wall in the background. And maybe it was the baby in her arms, or the hormones that flowed from her pregnant friend, but Judy nodded at Fru Fru and smiled.

The smile remained on her face as she told her friend goodbye and even as she walked out of the house to the car where Nick was waiting. 

The smile left her when she got in and saw how upset he looked.

“What’s wrong, Nick?”

He shook his head and put the car into gear, “I just don’t like where this case is going. It sounds like it’s a lot more serious than we thought. I don’t know if I want to risk going to that club he talked about by ourselves.”

She turned on the heater after putting on her seatbelt and breathed into her paws, jealous of his fur, “You want your detective shield don’t you? I know I do.”

He barked sarcastically, gripping the steering wheel contentiously, “Is that all that matters to you?”

She gawked at his outburst, “No, that’s not all that matters to me. You matter to me, which is why I want this drug out of the city. What if one day someone attacks you who’s high on this stuff?”

Judy watched him harrumph and she felt annoyed.

“Nick what’s wrong? You sound like you’re mad at me. Tell me what I did so I don’t do it again.”

“It’s not all about you.” He seethed.

“Excuse me?” Judy asked him, hurt.

He blew her off and kept driving.

“So, now you won’t talk to me?” Her lip quivered, she fought not to cry in front of him.

But she started quietly sniffling and he softened his demeanor.

“I’m not mad at you, Carrots. I’m mad at myself.”

“I don’t believe you, Nick.”

He glanced at her as much as he could while driving and moaned angrily, “Judy, I’m sorry. I promise it’s just me over thinking things and making a mess out of nothing.”

She rubbed her nose, “You’re supposed to be able to talk to me about anything. Why can’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

They were crossing over into downtown now, through the walls separating the districts and Nick turned the car in the direction of her apartment.

He tried multiple times to open his mouth and tell her but each time his words died on his lips. How could he tell her he wanted her to have his children and it not come out sounding demanding or selfish? 

She had her life all planned out at the precinct and all he wanted was to create life with her.

And to start a real family.

And to be a Dad, better than the one he had. Or, in this case, didn’t have growing up.

Nick choked figuratively on his emotions. He could feel her sadness twisting into anger and kicked himself for letting it get like this, but he didn’t speak again until he pulled up to her building.

“I think we need a break from this case.” He said as the car idled. “Let’s take the next two days off and hope Mr. Big’s bodyguard calls us with instructions. It’s not like we can do anything besides wait for that call anyways.”

She nodded steadfastly and put her paw on the door handle. But the car was still on and he wasn’t moving.

“Aren’t you coming?” She asked. Even though they were arguing she still expected him to stay with her that night, like he had done every night before.

He looked at her and shook his head.

“No. I need to be by myself for now. I’m sorry.”

The pure agony hit her like a punch and she stumbled out of the car. Before she shut the door she looked at him but drowned in all the things she wanted to say.

So she closed the door.

And Nick drove off.

They didn’t speak to each other until one full day had passed.


	19. Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want to be there for you. Forgiveness is taken if it's offered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> few people have expressed their disdain for angst and I agree. I find it hard to believe that a couple like them would fight for long and its not really a fight its just Nick being a wall instead of a window
> 
> so now we have this chapter.

What had she done? 

What. Had. She. Done.

Judy, after dazedly making it to her apartment, laid in bed that night till 3 am re-thinking and going over every meticulous detail of the past few weeks. Mostly of what she had said or what she had forgotten to do.

At one point she gave up and cried. No sniffling or sobbing, just tears. They would well up and overflow making a trail across her face onto the mattress. She would blink and they would pour out even faster and yet, she remained still.

Sleep took her sometime after 3 am, and that was the only instant she felt peace. 

But she was Judy, and she had to pull through.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When noon had passed and time seeped into early evening on their second day off, Nick arrived at her front door with her favorite smoothie and a bouquet of lilacs. He had done too much thinking and realized he was being childish about his feelings and decided to finally say what was on his heart.

But Judy wasn’t home.

He debated on using his spare key to enter her apartment when a thumping of feet echoed in the hallway.

Nick twisted his neck to look and Judy was standing there. 

She was wearing shorts and a cut off tank top that didn’t cover her sports bra, ipawd headphones in her ears. 

Judy must have went for a run. 

Her face was constricted with a frown and she was glaring at him for a few seconds before she stomped over to him and snatched the smoothie from his paw. Judy opened the door to her apartment and led him inside.

Nick shut the door behind him and placed the flowers on her bed. He went to say something to her but she went into the bathroom, with the smoothie and closed the door on his apology. He heard the shower turn on and stood alone in her apartment waiting for her to come back out.

When she did, she came out dripping and wrapped in a towel sucking on the straw of the drink he bought her and remarked, “You’re still here?”

He winced. He deserved that.

“I want to talk to you.” He offered, clasping his paws together.

Her eyes narrowed even more and she walked to her makeshift closet. She picked out some clothes, jeans and a gazelle t-shirt and a random assortment of undergarments. She placed her smoothie down on her dresser, then dropped her towel to the ground.

Nick’s breath caught in his chest and he turned away, he didn’t think he should get the view she was giving him.

A few moments later, she walked by him, wearing only her bra and panties to grab her deodorant and he knew it was on purpose. Judy could hear his heart beat after all and she wanted him to suffer.

He deserved this too.

“Judy.” Nick started to say but she walked by him again and only picked up her smoothie and sat down, not completely dressed, on her bed next to the flowers he laid there.

“These for me?” Judy asked, crossing her leg over the other, her bra strap falling to her shoulder where he claimed her. There was still a mark from his one tooth. 

He nodded as an answer, but had to look out the window to remember why he was there.

“I want to tell you why I was so upset. If you’ll let me.” He murmured and looked at her again.

She seductively perched her mouth on the straw, “I’m all ears.” 

Her actual ear flopped over her eye and she batted it behind her elegantly.

“Firstly, I love you, Judy.”

“And I love you Nick.”

Her immediate answer made him shiver. He brushed his paws over his head to grab his ears and pull them down beside his face.

“What else do you have to say?” She said between sips.

Nick stepped away, prepared for backlash and finally told her, “I’m a lot older than you.” 

Judy lifted one eyebrow and kept drinking.

He licked his lips, “There are things we don’t agree on, but I’m not willing to lose you over not being able to compromise or even just do what you want if it keeps you from getting hurt.”

She stood up, put the smoothie cup on her desk and placed herself in front of him with her arms crossed. Her foot began to tap and her face was still vexed. He put his arms to his sides.

“What are you trying to say? You aren’t making any sense, Nick.”

He took a deep breath and revealed, “You don’t want pups. I do. I want kits or pups, whatever they will be called. I want you to have my children.” 

She widened her eyes and said, “Oh.” Then she walked away from him and started to throw on the clothes she gathered minutes ago. But he came up behind her and crouched down to wrap his arm around her, stopping her movements. He placed his jaw over the place on her shoulder where he marked her.

“I know it’s not fair for me to put all that pressure on you. That’s why I won’t bring it up again. But we have to talk about us.” He said while rubbing his mouth on her shoulder.

“W-what about us?” She stuttered. He was making it hard to think straight.

He licked her shoulder then indicated his intentions, “I won’t be able to claim you anymore or knot inside you no matter how much I, or you want it. The first time we did I was overwhelmed by how much I wanted kids. And when you took that pill I felt crushed.”

She spun around in his arms.

“That’s not fair either, Nick. That night meant everything to me. And you never gave me a chance to think about our future because all our arguments or discussions about it were inside your own head, which I can’t see.”

Judy placed her paws on his face and made him look into her eyes.

“I know you’ve been upset about something. I just didn’t know what. More than anything I want you to be honest. If I do or say something that upsets you, please talk to me. I’m not going to belittle you or leave you, I love you too much for that.”

He nodded his head.

“As far as having your kids, I have thought about it. Especially after talking with Fru, she’s the first animal to make me think I wanted to. But I am scared. Where will we live? What about my job? I want to work, but I wouldn’t want some stranger with our kit. What if it's more than one?”

His eyes became full, “I could stay home and take care of them. Or my mom, she’d be more than happy to babysit.”

Nick had that answer already planned for her rebuttal and she blushed under her fur.

Judy shook and demurely took her paws off his chest and put them on her own, “I guess.” She whispered finally.

Nick hugged her then, tightly and she could feel his heart rumbling against her. Judy nestled her chin into his neck and breathed through the fur there, sincerely having missed his scent and warmth. They stayed like that, on the ground, for some time until she spoke into his neck softly, 

“So, you’re really going to be a stay at home dad?”

He hugged her even tighter, lifting her off the ground.

“Ok, ok!” She squealed. 

He put her down to kiss her and she hummed contentedly into his mouth. She felt his paws coasting to her bottom and she smacked him playfully, breaking their connection.

“Not right now! We’re on a case!”

“We’re always on a case.” He fussed, putting his lips back on hers.

“Mmph!” Judy protested and pushed him off.

“I’m serious, Nick. Let’s make a plan for when we get the call, okay? We’ll have time for that later.” 

Judy stepped away from him and managed to get dressed completely this time. Nick dejectedly went to her desk and sat down on her miniature chair.

His breathing was slowly returning to normal but his heart was still ready to burst from his chest. He looked at her as she was dressing and wished she didn’t want to talk about work, but as she buttoned her jeans, he had no choice.

“What are you thinking, Carrots, under cover or? Who are we supposed to be to these animals in order to get trusted? Are we supposed to pretend to be drug dealers or something?” Nick shot off ideas randomly, they had never had to do anything like this before. 

Judy looked at him and replied, “I think it’s best for us to do what we’re told in this scenario. All we need is one of the main suppliers to let anything slip. Like a location or a name.” She walked over to him and picked up her smoothie cup to finish it.

He pondered a few seconds, “Should we inform the Chief?”

“I don’t think we should say anything until we get the call.”

He agreed with a murmur and leaned back in the chair.

Judy sucked on her straw, getting the last slushes of her fruit smoothie and he watched her intently. Nick opened his mouth to gape at her lips and she bent her head to look at him in confusion. She placed the cup down to say something, but he picked her up and put her in his lap in one swoop.

He tried to kiss her, to touch her, but she put her paw on his lips, “Nick, I’m sorry but please, don’t. You really upset me and I honestly forgive you, but I can’t. Not right now.”

His paws lifted her off his lap and he set her back down on the floor to stand, “Do you want me to leave, Judy?” He was looking at the ground and rubbing his forearm.

She touched his chin and lifted his face, “No. That’s what hurt me before. I’m not trying to make you feel bad but, I spent all day agonizing over what I did to you. To make you leave me alone. And I kept coming up with nothing. But now, I can see your point of view, and I wouldn’t want to go through that either.”

Judy looked away and lamented delicately, “I’ve always had a good father and he’s always been in my life. I can see how much it would mean to you, to be a good dad. I can understand it, I really can. And I want you to know, I think you will be.”

Nick slouched and bent forwards to put his brow under her chin to let her scent him. It was a gesture he offered to ask for forgiveness and Judy read the signs clearly. She put his cheeks in her paws and smeared her chin above each eyebrow and then down his nose. Her head lowered and their noses touched briefly, then she kissed him.

It was sweet and subdued. But it mattered.

That night, they cuddled and curled up in her bed between her pillows and stuffed bunnies.

A shrill ringing woke them up the next day. 

Judy, always the morning mammal, reacted first and her eyes shot open. Nick was facing the wall, his back to her and his tail draped over her.

She rolled off the bed to get her phone and answered it, not reading who it was.

“H-hello?” She spoke, her throat scratchy and grainy.

“Listen carefully I will not repeat myself.” A deep voice directed over the line.

Judy ran to her desk and quickly grabbed a pen and paper.

“Tonight you will meet my nephew, Pasha, at the diner on Orchid Drive in the Rainforest District at 11:30. No later than that or he will leave. He will escort you and your partner to the club and garner you access. He has told his connections that the both of you are close friends and looking for a good time. Do not expect more than that from him, as soon as you are in, he will leave.”

There was a break and then he said, “Dress code is semi-formal.”

The line went silent again, Judy thought he hung up until he softened, “Mr. Big wishes you glad tidings and hopes to visit with you soon.” Then he hung up. She looked at her screen and PRIVATE NUMBER is all that flashed. 

Tonight was it. A real jump forward with their case.

Judy went to the bed and shook the fox, he groaned and folded his body over to face her.

“Was that the call?” He asked groggily.

She nodded and told him the details. He listened sleepily and when she was finished he sat up and stretched. 

“We’re looking for a good time? What does that even mean?” He asked, flopping to the edge of the bed. Nick had an inkling of what it could be, but he didn’t share that information with her.

“You got me. You’re the city boy, you should know. If I had to guess, it’s because of the drugs.” She shuffled aimlessly and knew that she was about to see things that would make her police badge cry.

Nick stood up finally and went to the bathroom to relieve himself. As he came back Judy was getting dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt.

“Where are you going?” He bemused, she was now searching for her wallet.

“I don’t have any semi-formal outfits. I have to go shopping. Do you want to come with me?” She said while picking up her keys.

He told her no while walking to her fridge, then replied, “I’ve got a suit. I’ll stay here.”

Judy went to the front door and was halfway out when he called her.

“Hey, Carrots?”

She poked her head back in the apartment, “Yeah, Nick?”

“Make sure you get something that shows off your legs. It’ll give me something to look forward to about tonight.”

Judy scoffed. But then she smiled and closed the door.

Nick snacked on the various food she had in her fridge when a knocking sounded through the room. His ears turned like a satellite to the wall adjoining her apartment with the neighbors and there was another bang.

“What?” Nick barked. The guys next door were insufferable sometimes.

“We heard, you know, where you guys are going. And we just thought you should know, man. That’s one hell of a shady place. You ever seen that movie, Bite Club?” Bucky or Pronk dulled out. Nick couldn’t tell their voices apart.

The fox sat on the bed to get closer to the wall and asked, “What do you mean?”

“It was a good movie.”

Nick put his paw to his temple, “Not the movie, what about the club?”

He could hear them whispering an argument, but couldn’t make out the words. Then one of them finally offered the information.

“All were saying is, we heard a lot of animals go in there and don’t come out the same. It’s a weird place.”

Nick nodded thoughtfully, even though they couldn’t see him and thanked them. The pair went back to whatever it was that they were doing, which was for once, being quiet.

He got up and walked to Judy’s desk and sat down. Her note was there with the street name they’d have to go to that night and an anxious feeling resided inside him. All of this sounded like a lot more than they could handle and he was getting nervous, but there was no way Judy was going to back down as long as mammal’s lives were in danger. 

His paws drummed on the desk, then he reached for his phone to call Chief Bogo.

Of course the Chief gave him an earful of proper procedure and told Nick that as soon as he knew the address of the club, he would have to inform him for backup. Normally this wouldn’t be allowed, it went against protocol, but Bogo had told him the 4th animal died that morning in relation the side effects of the Blue Moon and the public outcry was deafening. 

When Nick hung up the phone, his anxiousness lingered. His sense of duty though, became louder than it.

Judy returned several hours later, purchase in paw, with lunch and a smile. 

“I can’t lie, Nick” She said, finishing a bite of her sandwich, they were sharing her desk as if it were a dining table. “I’m a little excited.”

That was the difference between them, clearly.

“I’m not.” He admitted, setting down his lunch. 

“Why? It’s just another hustle.”

He propped his head in his paw on the desk, “These animals, don’t care that their drug is killing people. Makes me think they’ll be dangerous.”

Judy looked at him, “We’ll be fine as long as we stay together.”

Nick sighed and glanced out at the city.


	20. Folly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's the plan. Get in. Get out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its not going to be how you think i promise okay. dont assume because it makes an ASS out of U and ME.
> 
> PFFFT no but seriously its going to be okay.
> 
> I want to draw them in their outfits but IDK

That night, after an agonizing day of hours that seemed to last for days, they went to his place to get ready. They had dinner, although this time both of them hardly ate because of the anticipation of the events to come and tried to relax as much as they could.

Around 9:50, Judy freshened up in his bathroom and proceeded to get dressed.

Makeup wasn’t her specialty, her only option was to accentuate her eyes with liner and mascara and as she stared at herself in the mirror, she wondered if she made the correct choice for her attire. There were a few tugs on the hem line of her dress and a few adjustments on the cuff on her shoulders, but she felt it was okay.

She walked out of the bathroom, as Nick was tucking his crisp white dress shirt into his pants.

“Holy cheese.” He gasped, his eyes flicking to every part of her form. She was wearing a lace coral dress that had an off shoulder collar. The bottom flowed into a pencil skirt and stopped just above her knees. Her tail protruded through the dress in the back.

“How am I supposed to focus tonight, Carrots?” Nick spewed, trying to button his pants.

She pat down the dress in front, over her tummy and said, “You’ve seen me in a dress before.”

He thread his brown belt through the waist of his pants, “That isn’t a dress. That’s all my hopes and dreams wrapped into one carrot colored package.”

Judy smiled, cheeks blazing and retorted, “It’s not orange! I’ll have you know the saleslady said it went well with the color of my fur.” If she had to admit, it was quite form fitting, which is why she kept tugging at it uncomfortably.

She walked away, his eyes following her and went to the kitchenette and poured some water from the sink into a glass to drink. Judy turned around to look back at him and he was putting on his tie now and she was able to see the full picture of his outfit.

His suit was blue and tailored to fit him expertly. The belt he weaved in out of the loopholes was brown and his tie was a deeper shade of blue than the suit. She found herself ogling what he had to offer, just like he had done to her. He really cleaned up well.

Nick placed a golden clip onto his tie, fastening it to his shirt and murmured, “I haven’t worn this suit since I ran around doing odd jobs for Mr. Big.”

She laughed, “Why blue?”

He took the jacket off its hanger and swung his arm into the sleeve while giving her a look of disdain as he shimmied his other arm into the second sleeve.

“It’s not blue, its Egyptian Blue and I got it in one of the best shops in Sahara Square. Probably worth more money than this apartment. And who knows, maybe I was channeling my inner cop. It almost is the same shade.” He declared impetuously.

“Well La-di-da Mr. Fancy-Pants.”

“Laugh it up, Carrots. I gave up all the riches in my world for a shack and a job that might kill me, for you.”

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped from her, “You were an ice-cream man, who hung out under a bridge!”

He stared at her, setting the jacket on his shoulders properly, looking so self-righteous and handsome that she had to take a hasty drink of the glass in her paw. His paws seemed to move in slow motion over his chest to the top button of his jacket, just over his stomach. He fastened it, then shook his wrists to set the jacket even more.

“I’m your ice-cream man, don’t you forget it. And you might want to wipe the dribble off your chin.”

The back of her wrist wiped her face and she rolled her eyes indifferently.

All he did was grin.

“Do you think we should get going? I’d like to get to the diner before Koslov’s nephew does, just so we can feel more in control of the situation.” Nick asked, looking at the time on his phone.

Judy put her glass down and headed to the door, he took that as a yes.

When they pulled up to the diner it was raining, he parked across the street and they both saw at the same time that, the nephew was already there.

“It is 10:53, he sure is punctual.” Judy stated. She wanted to move to see him more clearly, but as soon as she had sat down in the car the skirt of the dress rode up. Not obscenely, it only rose about mid-thigh but her modesty was keeping her in her seat.

As soon as the rain let up to a scattered drizzle they got out of the car and went into the restaurant.

The nephew, Pasha, saw them through the window and met them at the entrance.

“You’re early, that’s good.” He drawled out in a deep voice. He was a polar bear of course, dressed in a black track suit. “I’ll walk you over now.”

He left the diner and they had no choice but to follow him.

“I’m sure my uncle told you I will only get you in the door. It’ll be up to you to acquire whatever you need once inside. The suppliers are usually in the second part of the club, which you can only access if you are asked. If I were you, you should think about leaving if you aren’t invited within an hour.”

Pasha was saying all these things as they walked a block to a hotel. It was located inside a large tree and Nick and Judy made a mental note to remember its name.

The Kapok.

They entered through the lobby and its vast splendor was nothing how it looked on the outside. Marble floors reflected the lights of the chandelier and the sound of a fountain and harp playing created its ambiance.

The three of them continued walking and Judy assumed they were going to a ball room or a type of large area. They ended up going in a swinging door which lead to the kitchen. The staff paid them no attention and they squeezed through the various busy animals, passing by, to arrive at a large door near the exit.

Pasha knocked and not a second later the door opened to reveal a bear, this time a grizzly. The two exchanged words, nothing Judy figured was important, then the grizzly looked down at her and Nick and opened the door wider for them to come in.

Judy, being impulsive, walked in first. As soon as Nick was in behind her, the grizzly shut the door and told them to walk down the hallway of stairs leading below the ground level.

It was dark and Nick could hear music echoing in the long corridor. The closer they got the louder his anxiety for this place reverberated in his veins. When they reached the opening to the club the hallway expanded into large room with a bar, tables, chairs and couches spread throughout. There was a small dance floor, occupied by a large amount of mammals.

A hostess stopped in front of them and offered them a drink, telling them it was champagne. Judy took one and held the drink in her paws. There was an empty table, where you stood instead of sat and she lead Nick to it, placing her drink down. The table was about the height of her rib cage, manageable for Nick.

She draped her ears down against the back of her head.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“It’s okay, the music is just too loud. It’s messing with my head, like they don’t want me to hear anything but what’s in this room.”

His glass of champagne was still in his paw, a portion of it already gone, “I know what you mean. You don’t want to know what I smell in here.”

Nick would not tell her but, the smell was rough. It was a mixture of scents varying from cleaning products that attempted to cover the trace of blood and sweat, to cheap cologne and-.

He wasn’t sure but he thought he smelled death.

Judy looked over the room, politely bouncing to the music and took a sip of her champagne. It was delicious and this time she took a bigger taste. Nick finished his and hoped it would make him feel more at ease. But these animals were shady and he hated that Judy was here. He went to tell her something but a woman wedged herself in-between them.

She was an undersized wolf, wearing a slinky black cocktail dress and her name was,

“Hi cutie, the names Dove. What’s yours?”

Dove was making sultry eyes at Judy, who had been in mid gulp of her drink. She sputtered and told the woman her name was ‘Bebe.’ An alias she came up with right there.

“Well, Bebe the Bunny, how cute. I could just eat you up.”

Judy put on a brave face and finished the rest of her champagne. With the glass on the table now and her body facing Dove, she introduced Nick as her friend ‘Thomas.’

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Thomas and Bebe. I hear you two are looking for a good time.”

Nick blanched, but smoothly asked, “Does everyone know our secret? We we’re hoping for a little privacy.” He adjusted his sleeve, feigning apathy.

Dove bat her eyelashes, “Oh don’t worry. Only the important mammals know about you two. I’m the club manager and I am required to show you a good time.” Judy was understanding the innuendo with every word and finally felt anxious.

“I’m going to get you a round of our best in stock. Hang tight and I’ll be right back.” The wolf walked away but not before running her claw over Judy’s naked shoulder, the bunny shivered in horror but Dove took it another way.

The millisecond she was out of earshot Nick looked at Judy and asked plainly, “Carrots, by any chance have you ever had hard liquor before?” Judy looked up at him and saw panic in his eyes.

“No, I mean, once but that was with my siblings when I graduated from the academy.”

Nick looked away to the bar and Dove was personally filling shot glasses for them.

“Great.” He growled as Dove made her way back to them. This time he put himself right next to Judy, brushing into her, to make sure the wolf wouldn’t separate them.

Dove smiled friskily and set the tray of small cups on the table. There was way more than two and chasers, meaning she wanted them to drink plenty. Judy reached out and pinched one in her index and thumb and downed it, choking. Nick wanted to comfort her but he drank his first just as quickly.

“As you can see, she doesn’t get out much.” Nick said, putting on an air of vainglorious fiction as he drank the fruity chaser to follow the bitter alcohol.

“Yes I can see. We’ll just have to teach her wont we?”

Judy pushed out her lips in frustration at the insinuation that she was too naïve and reached for a second shot. This time it went down smoother. Dove looked at her in surprise, overjoyed practically and rippled in astonishment.

“Never mind, we have a fast learner here.”

Nick wanted to chastise his bunny but never said a word.

The wolf stepped closer to Judy’s side, not blocked by Nick and placed one paw on the table and the other on Judy’s shoulder. She made small circles in the fur there.

“Looks like we have a risk taker too.” Her paw was tickling around Judy’s claim mark, made by Nick’s tooth some time ago. And Nick repressed a snarl.

“Pasha didn’t tell me you two were a pair. How interesting. I guess you do have secrets from me.”

“We aren’t.” Judy blasted, the alcohol beginning to affect her. “We just know how to show each other a good time.” She hated lying but there was too much at stake and they hadn’t even seen a main supplier in this obnoxious room.

“Predator’s turn you on, hmm?” Dove cooed, touching Judy’s ear now. Nick didn’t know what to do except for to let Judy keep taking the lead. He was afraid he’d snap.

A mammal from the bar called for the female wolf and Dove excused herself, but ended with, “If I see you two later we’ll be sure to have a good time. Sorry I have to go, this place can’t handle me not being in control for one iota.”

She was gone again and Nick and Judy both looked at each other at the same time.

“Slow down, Carrots. You need to be alert for this, remember?”

“I Know. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to seem too cop-ish.” Judy contested. The alcohol swam inside her gut and heat went to her cheeks. At first she was queasy but now she was just hot, she fanned herself with her paw.

“What are we supposed to do now?” She asked. It came out like more of a whine.

“I don’t know. I feel like were being watched.” Nick was casually surveying the entirety of the room now, trying to see if anyone was looking at them and looking for the entrance to the second part of the club. He turned his head towards the dance floor, the mass of conglomerate mammals moving with the music, fueled by the alcohol in their systems.

There was a door just beyond them, with a bouncer standing beside it, which had to be it.

The both of them stood around that table, nursing their drinks and acclimating to the club for a long time. Nick and Judy knew the animals that were around them weren’t who they were looking for, it was like this room was a precursor to the actual club. They ended up chatting to the table beside them, but their window of one hour was closing fast.

Maybe it was luck or maybe it was because they seemed listless, but 40 minutes after they first entered the room, a hostess walked over to them with another tray, taking the other one away.

All that was on it was an envelope.

He picked up the paper, it was an invitation of sorts.

Judy looked at him and he said, “This is a pass to the ‘B Room.’ I don’t like this, it feels like a trap. What have we done to get this? I don’t see anyone else getting envelopes.”

“It’s probably because of Dove. Look at her, she’s smiling at us. I guess she thinks were partiers because of what I said.” She raised a paw to the wolf and forced a smile, Dove blew a kiss and Judy froze.

“I’m starting to regret coming here.” Judy all but wailed.

“And I’m starting to regret drinking anything. And I wish we were back at my apartment.” He spoke, his tail swaying back and forth. His head was buzzing and a false sense of enjoyment was making him feel hasty.

Judy seized his sleeve, “Me too, Nick. But we have to finish this.”

She observed him nod, with a cringe, then he offered his arm to her.

They left their table, with envelope in paw and knit their way through the crowd, past the animals making a spectacle on the dance floor.

The bouncer at the door looked at them, or didn’t because he was wearing darkened shades and he took the invitation from them and opened the door.

It was another large room, quieter than the mess they just excited, this time with only a few handfuls of mammals. There were at least 3 more doors along the walls and another fully stocked bar.

Chairs and couches were arrayed in a crescent shape from one end of the room to the other and more hostesses were walking around serving guests. In the middle of the half-moon cluster of seating, there was another dance floor that no one was on.

The couches were occupied with predators and prey collectively talking and caterwauling. Some of the mammals were paired off, being so amorous that they might’ve needed a private room by the rate of their actions on the furniture.

Something was off in the way that they all acted, their primal ancestral genes essentially out in the open for everyone to see.

Nick and Judy stood by the door that they came through, trying to keep their faces and expressions unwavering, showing no signs of weakness or betrayal. None of the animals looked at them except for a trio seated in the middle of the room. A mouse, a pig and a panther stared at them muttering quietly. So much so that Judy couldn’t hear them.

The pig called them over with a wave of his hoof. And with their arms still linked, Judy and Nick made their way over to them.

“You must me Tommy and Bebe. Dove told us about you but we didn’t believe her. A prey that liked mating pred’s? Who ever heard of such a thing? We’ve had our fair share of mashers here, you know the type that like to fool around with other species, but never a fox and a rabbit. We had to see it with our own eyes.”

Judy stammered at first but calmly said, “We’re one of a kind.”

The pig smiled toothily at her, “I can see that Bebe. My name is Charlie. This is Jake and Hagan.” He pointed to the mouse first and the panther second. “We we’re wondering if you’d like to join us?”

She smiled back at them with her eyes half closed and pulled Nick to the only available spot in their cove which was an arm chair. Judy played into their assumptions and sat Nick down first, then climbed in his lap sideways, crossing her legs protectively.

“Pretty dominating little thing aren’t you?” Jake the mouse eagerly coughed up. It was supposed to be funny because he was small himself and his partners laughed. Nick and Judy smiled along with them but Nick’s paw laid on her thigh and tapped restlessly.

Judy put a paw over his to stop his agitation and waited for them to stop cackling, then remarked, “We were beginning to think our friend lied to us about this place. We told him we were looking for a good time, not a headache.”

Hagan the panther scoffed, “You won’t find a better time anywhere else. As a matter of fact, were about to let the games begin.”

She heard Nick’s heart start to palpitate nervously and she coasted a thumb over his claws. Her actions were small and unnoticeable by the three.

“What do you mean?” Nick asked. He tried to make it sound enthused but it came out more like an order.

The panther ignored him and only smiled. Charlie intercepted, “Can we get you two anything to drink?”

Judy shook her head, “We don’t like to, it dulls our senses and we like to stay sharp.” She ended her sentence with a hint of sexuality and languidly brought her paw up to Nick’s head to stroke his ear.

She was a far better actress than Nick was and actor.

“It’s funny you say that because we all feel our senses is what makes us truly animals.”

His words were just beginning to layer in her brain when a few of the mammals surrounding them stood up from their places and formed a crowd on the unused dance floor.

The hostesses retreated to the bar.

Alarms were going off inside the two cops as Charlie the pig clapped and boasted, “Tonight’s menu is predator vs. prey. We usually just put two mammals from the same genre together and let them dish it out but, you two sponsored a great idea and we couldn’t pass it up.”

Judy gawked at the dance floor. Fear coated her lungs and she found it hard to breathe. The crowd parted and in the center was a tiger and a zebra.

A different animal came up to Charlie and the pig handed him something from a box in his pocket.

It was Blue Moon.

Nick and Judy watched as that animal ran back to the middle and handed it to the zebra who popped it in his mouth. He hopped around from hoof to hoof and shook his head as the effects started to kick in.

Judy turned her head back at Charlie and questioned, “What was that you just gave him?” She tried to make it sound like she was naïve and it worked.

“It’s a little pick me up, to make the fight fair. In a few minutes that zebra will have pummeled that tiger, just you wait.”

Her face showed elation and curiousness but her heart was encompassed with turmoil. She looked back at the crowd, as did Nick and they waited just like he said. The zebra whooped out loud and all at once the tiger was defending himself unsuccessfully from a barrage of punches. The fighting went on in the makeshift ring until the zebra spun and leveraged himself on his front hooves to kick the tiger directly in the head.

The feline was thrown to the ground unconscious.

Nick winced and Judy gasped.

Their hosts hollered and cheered with all the other mammals.

A soon as the room settled down Judy faked her enjoyment, “Did I really just see a tiger beaten by a zebra? What is in whatever it is that you gave him? Steroids?” Her voiced quaked but these three were literally not smart enough to catch it.

“All I know is that it’s made in the burrows, sweet cheeks.”

“Is the tiger dead?” Nick beseeched, his cop side brimming to the surface.

Charlie grinned, “Not this time. They get paid only if they win, but I’ll admit it’s not always fair. They don’t mind it though. Only if they get a little taste.”

Another match was looking to start and the pig rummaged in his pocket again. He pulled out the same small tin container from before and he opened it. Nick could smell the Blue Moon that was inside, Judy heard the pills clinking and rolling around. His hoof removed a pill and remarked,

“I’m curious to see what will happen if you two take one. You said yourself that you liked to stay sharp. Well honey bunny, this stuff makes you razor sharp. Your instincts come alive and you feel more powerful.”

“Sounds tempting.” Judy breathed.

Charlie rolled the pill in his hoof speculatively then stretched out his arm.

“Here, take it.”

She laughed nervously and Nick tried to dissuade him, “You’ve already done plenty for us. We don’t want to abuse your generosity any more than we have.”

The pig jerked his hoof further into their personal space.

“I insist. As soon as you take it, you’ll be begging for more.”

Nick took short deep breaths through his nose and panicked as Judy plucked the pill into her paw. He didn’t see any way out of this except for to contact Bogo, but by that time she could be injured or worse. They were surrounded by animals, all either high on the drug or drinking and they were trapped in a guarded room in the back of some hotel.

Judy knew all these things and had no choice but to bring the pill to her lips. In her heart she knew that Nick would be there to take care of her and that was the only part comforting her about agreeing.

“Aren’t you going to share?” Nick forced himself to say.

Her jaw dropped as he snatched it from her paw to break it in half with his claw. Nick placed a piece in his mouth and Judy went to protest. To the three adjacent to them it looked like she was mad he took away her treat, to Nick he knew she was upset. His eyes glared at her vehemently.

Of course, he wouldn’t let her do this alone.

The fox put the other piece to her mouth and she leaned forward to take it.

While the group, including Judy, were distracted by his impulsiveness he took his phone out with his other paw and hid it behind her back so they couldn’t see.

Nick used his muscle memory to text Bogo the address and ended it with,

S.O.S.

heres a pic i drew of them...


	21. Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They did it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In light of recent events in this world we live in I have had to make a few changes to this chapter. 
> 
> I lived in Orlando, I have friends still living in Orlando who are safe and my heart hurts but it will never be about me. It will be about the victims and their families. I’m not sure when this chapter will be up but I still feel as though I cannot post what I originally wrote. Please understand that if it feels rushed it’s with the explicit intention of removing violence or making the scene less intense because of where the scene is located in the story. I didn’t feel good about what was there before because Nick and Judy are at a club. 
> 
> This chapter has now morphed and become my own slice of fan service to myself and to you because that’s much better to read about. It will not affect the outcome of the story, not that it matters because of the terrorist hate crime, it will just make this scene less violent in the club.

The pill tasted familiar, like something he had eaten before. He assumed it was a flavoring that was artificial because it really just tasted blue. It dissolved the moment it touched his tongue, the effects slowly seeping into his bloodstream.

Nick first noticed a tingling on his skin, his fur stood on end. He could feel the heat of Judy’s thighs and rear on his lap and a low thumping echoed from her chest. Her heart, the drug had heightened his senses so greatly and he could hear it and he leaned back in the chair amazed.

But, he knew he couldn’t appreciate these experiences, it was a high brought on by the drug. 

All at once he could understand why animals were addicted to it. Nick felt like a part of him woke up after a lifetime of hibernating and he was ready to let it take him. But his brain was still marginally in control of his body so he just sat there and his claws squeezed the armrests. 

Judy looked at him, eyes wide and nose twitching. The part of him awakened by the drug fought against the restraints of his brains hold over it. It smelled her scent, it saw the mark he left on her shoulder and it knew she was his.

He tore his eyes off of her to look around and saw the three other animals in their troop laughing and continuing on with their evening. Although Charlie would ogle at them every few moments, expecting a show. Nick reflexively put his paws around her, one on her lap and the other on her lower back, to assert his claim silently.

As soon as he did that she put her smaller paw on his shoulder and turned her torso, brushing her chest against his. 

“I can smell you.” She uttered weakly, low enough for only Nick to hear. He was trying hard not to move or run his claw under her dress.

This was not the time and most definitely the worst place to consider a romp, but the overwhelming temptation to wrap his mouth around her neck and claim her kept being screamed from the part of his mind fogged over by the Blue Moon is his veins.

Unfortunately, the pig started jabbering again.

“I take it you two really didn’t expect the kick. First timers always freak out and sort of just sit there, some just grunt. It’s like you turn into a primeval part of yourself. My first time? I woke up in a mud pit!”

His voice pissed Nick off and he pulled Judy closer to him, if possible and thumped his tail on the seat. She just leaned into him and put her nose to his neck.

Nick yipped but that’s not what he intended. He tried to talk again but it came out as yap this time.

With supreme frustration, he tried a third time and finally was able to say something.

“Are you okay?” He asked, hoping only she heard.

Judy looked up from where her head laid against his neck and ran her chin on the side of his mouth, all the way to his cheek. He leaned into her, his claw subsequently drifting upwards under her skirt. He had reached her panties much to his satisfaction and the delight of the peeping tom across the way when the door burst open.

The raid had finally arrived. Quicker than he hoped. Armed officers ran in, sending the crowd into pandemonium.

Nick’s only thought, as the animals around him tried to escape, was to protect Judy. He tossed her behind him on the chair and sat on her, covering her body with his own, without crushing her.

The officers ignored him and wrangled various animals, zip-tying their hooves or paws and made them stay on the ground. He watched in fascination, as the three they were just sitting with, were thrown down and hollered obscenities.

His vision was soon blocked by a mass and he looked up to see Bogo staring down at him.

“Wilde, I got your text, where is Hopps?” The Chief snorted through his nose.

Adrenaline hit Nick’s ears and all at once he couldn’t hear. He turned his head at Bogo and gawked. From behind him he felt Judy softly push on his back and squeeze out between his shoulders and the cushion.

“H-here.” She reported. It seemed she was having trouble speaking now as well.

Nick got up and stood in front of the arm chair wobbling. Judy stayed, splayed out on the seat.

Bogo sneered at their behavior and told them both, “One of the dealers talked about the suppliers, which I see is now crying on the ground. Did he give you any good information?”

Judy sat up, “Bur-rows.” She slurred. Her paws made tight circles and she slammed her fists on the cushion. Not being able to talk, but wanting to, was incredibly maddening. She tried to say more but Bogo held up his hooves.

“What’s wrong with you two?”

Nick ran a paw over his head and sighed angrily, “We’re fine. Just shocked.” He had no idea how he said that but he wasn’t about to tell his boss that he was drugged. He looked at Judy, who was now getting off the chair and she wasn’t about to admit it either.

“Looks like you two still have a case then. Go home, get some rest. I want your reports on tonight, on my desk, by noon tomorrow.” Bogo ordered. He was done speaking to them and walked away, not saying anything else.

Judy grabbed Nicks arm and pulled him towards the exit. He was able to fall in line beside her when they reached the lobby. They walked out of the hotel together, navigating through all the police cruisers and down the street past the diner and to their car. It was a blur.

When they sat down in the vehicle, with the doors closed, Nick rested his head on the steering wheel and let state of excitement roll through him. He couldn’t believe that all had happened.

Judy wheezed beside him and mumbled, “You okay?”

He nodded.

“I’m glad.” She began to say, stopping in the middle of each phrase to force her speech. “We didn’t.”

She paused again, “Take bigger dose.”

Nick looked over at her and barked. It made her laugh and she blamed the drug.

He shook his head to break the primeval part of him in control of his words and grunted, “Bad idea, for sure. I feel like running, climbing. How, we survive?”

His sentences were thrown together like a cave animal and it made her laugh even more. She was bouncing in her seat excitedly.

“I don’t know.” She snickered.

They sat in the car for some time, maybe 20 minutes, because Nick wasn’t sure he could drive. She asked if he wanted to go in the diner for coffee but he refused. They started speaking in full sentences around 26 minutes of sitting in their vehicle.

“That drug is frightening.” He confessed. “I gained these senses I didn’t know I had. I can still hear your heart too. Fascinating.”

She agreed with him, “I know. Imagine the possibilities, if it were used properly. Like, for me, I can smell you better. What if an animal took it who lost their senses? Would it help them?”

“I’m not sure, maybe if the right people were distributing it, without the addictive agents. And what do you mean you can smell me, better?” Nick challenged. Judy squirmed in her seat and refused to look at him.

“You know. Like when I put my nose in the fur on you neck. It’s like that but I can smell you from here.”

She twisted her body in the seat towards him, but kept her eyes cast sideways.

“And I could smell you when I scented you, almost as if I could tell what you wanted with no words. Like when I was in heat and you said you could tell.” She said, mussing up the hem of her dress, crumpling it in her paws.

Nick leaned back in the driver’s seat and listened to her words and heart which was raging in her chest. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking about these things, especially because of what they just went through. But, he wondered what it would feel like to rut with these new senses, to feel her around him, to hear her coming and knotting inside her.

There was a tightness in his pants and he realized he was getting hard.

The drug, still in his blood, once again pounded against his resolve and it screamed at him to take what was his. However, his paws didn’t leave the steering wheel.

Judy shivered, her nose fluttered and she breathed in deeply. A polite moan drifted from her lips.

“Nick, are you?”

“I’m sorry.” He offered. “I blame the drug and your dress and my brain.”

She smiled. He never expected her to do that.

Nick also didn’t expect her to crawl over to him and sit in his lap.

“Judy, what are you doing?” He asked, paws dropping to her knees. He hadn’t asked for his sake, he only wondered if she were in the right frame of mind.

She kissed him, neglecting to answer his question and opened her mouth to taste him. He followed her lead and fondled her with his tongue through ragged breaths that amplified on the walls of the small car.

Her paws were on his chest and his went directly under her skirt, which had bunched around her thighs when she straddled him. He stopped kissing her to rub his scent on her cheek, then he moved his mouth to her neck and licked her hungrily. 

His paws ground her hips on his lap, dying for a connection even though several layers of fabric hindered the action completely. Every few seconds he would nibble her shoulder and gasp.

If they didn’t stop, they’d make a mess in the car and probably attract the curious glance of passersby on the street. Although, there were few because it was well after a 1 a.m.

“Nick, please?” She had to beg him to stop or else.

He reared back, slamming his head into the seat, “I can’t drive, you have to, before I-.” His paws forced her hips to roll on his dick again and groaned loudly.

She moaned, “I can’t remember? I can’t reach the pedals.”

Nick cursed but helped her back to her seat. He turned the car on shakily and opened the windows to let the fresh air cool his thoughts. His breathing tapered off and both of them put on their seatbelts.

The drive back to his place was a challenge. His senses were overloaded and she kept making these noises that caused him to swerve. The only comfort he found was keeping one paw on the steering wheel and the other on her thigh closest to him. At one point she took his paw and nudged it closer to her center. Nick would have crashed if they weren’t at a red light. 

He was impressed that he made it to his place with no damage, he was more impressed by how fast Judy left the car and ran into his building. He went after her, hunting her and almost growled when he saw her waiting in front of his door.

“Hurry up!” She screeched. He fumbled with his keys.

When he unlocked the door she grabbed him by the lapel of his suit and also by his tie. She kissed him, while trying to take his jacket off. 

He wasn’t going fast enough.

“Why do you have so much clothes on?” She cried, attempting to remove his shirt. He laughed and batted her paws away and shimmied out of the jacket. Then, he untied the tie from his neck, throwing them both to the ground.

Judy wasn’t undeterred, she just moved her paws to the fly of his pants and unbuckled the belt and let it hang loose as she unbuttoned his pants. They were travelling, backwards for her, to his bed and she tripped and landed on the mattress.

With his pants still on, he crawled over her and went to remove her dress but she complained, “Just push it up, please? I can’t wait any more.”

Nick did as he was told and lifted her skirt and rolled her panties down her legs and off, sending them to the floor with the other articles of clothing. She scooted forwards, widening her legs around his own so he could mount her and reached for his pants again. 

He couldn’t help himself and touched her core and she was warm and wet and he yelled as she moaned.

That action made her drop to the bed and pant, momentarily forgetting her quest to get the rest of his clothes off. She covered her face with her forearm and told him,

“Nick, I need y-you. Please go inside me.”

He grimaced and grunted, “Judy, I’m not going to last long. Just let me touch you.”

She shook her head, ears flopping, “I don’t care. Please? Don’t make me beg. Please!” Judy was losing the battle to stay coherent.

Nick shuddered and kissed her sluggishly. He did what she wanted and finished undoing his pants and pushed them down to his knees along with his boxers. His tail and dick were freed at the same time and he leaned forward.

As soon as the tip touched the lips of her heat, her hips rose up to take him. He pushed into her sweltering wetness and cried out in pleasure. He could already feel the knot forming.

She moaned and tried to get him to slide into her again but he only moved a paw to her middle and rubbed her clitoris. Judy squeezed her pelvic muscles around him and opened her mouth scream with no noise.

He thrust into her at last and then again and then another. It didn’t take long for him to bring her to the point of bliss where her toes curled and her orgasm rippled through her. But he didn’t give her a chance to recover, he just continued to push into her, moving closer to his own undoing.

Judy jerked on his movements, her nerves a mess of slight pain as she quivered against him. She could feel his knot getting larger and a new wave of want enveloped her, causing her to feel close to climax again. 

Suddenly, Nick picked her up, still connected and he sat on his knees. He put his paws on her hips and she braced herself on his shoulders, watching him squint in concentration. He lifted her up and slid into her one last time, knotted with a whine and promptly came. Judy had just felt the liquid inside her, when he latched onto her shoulder with his teeth.

Nick was grunting on her fur and skin, his claws holding her in place. She squeezed around him on accident and he bit into her further, expelling more of himself inside her.

Judy recoiled with a choke, feeling too much pain from his mouth, but he held her firmly. It wasn’t until he tasted blood, that he let her shoulder go. 

A barrage of apologies came from him and he licked and cleaned up her fur where two of his teeth had rudely punctured her. Nick laid her back down on the bed, his knot keeping them together and nuzzled her mercilessly.

She laughed and said, “Okay, okay! Apology accepted! Just be more careful next time.”

The thought of doing this with her again and the vibration from her laughter had him rolling his eyes to the back of his head and ejaculating once more with a tiny thrust. As much as his knot would allow, she held him as he shook through it. He was making a mess on the bed, his pants and part of her dress but she didn’t care.

Much later when they were washed up and laying back in bed, a clean sheet beneath them and clean clothes on them, he apologized more and asked for forgiveness for the fifth time.

Judy was nestled in his chest, relaxed and said into his fur, “Stop it. I forgive you.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Their high was wearing off and her eyes felt like they had weights on them.

She wanted to worry about the case and where it was leading them next but, she fell asleep instead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

In the morning, the sun filtered in through the blinds on his windows and filled his apartment with golden light. She felt the warmth of it on her face and went to cover her eyes. 

Nick rolled over and smothered her.

Judy crawled out from under him, smacking his rear as she hopped off the bed, he only laughed.

“Oh, so you’re awake Mr. Wilde?” She said thumping her foot.

“Who can sleep with all the noise you make?”

Judy went to smack him again but he jumped off the bed and retreated to the kitchen.

“Remember, Bogo wanted reports done by noon. We should probably get moving, it is already after 10.” Judy yelled from the bathroom. He nodded even though she couldn’t see and went to his dresser to grab an outfit for the day.

They sauntered into the precinct and Ben greeted them cheerfully, like he always did and congratulated them on their big break in the case. They smiled and made polite conversation until it became clear that if they didn’t go, their statements would be late. 

And none of them wanted to upset the Chief for no reason.

Judy said goodbye and Nick and her departed to their desk to begin their paperwork. They confirmed details amongst one another and wrote their own accounts of their undercover fiasco while keeping out the bit of them taking the drug.

They agreed it had been an unprofessional decision and had they called for backup before, they never would have needed to prove themselves risqué to the pig Charlie.

“Do you think he’ll squeal, so to speak?” Nick asked, flipping through his papers.

She shrugged, the action causing her to feel the pain in her shoulder from the night before.

“Probably, unless he didn’t see us talking to the Chief. I don’t know. Maybe we should just tell the truth.” Judy rubbed her shoulder over her shirt, trying to alleviate the discomfort.

Nick saw her scowling and touching where he bit her. He reached over and clasped his paw over hers, still apologizing.

“This is what I get for loving a predator.” She laughed, shooing his paw away.

“Judy, this could ruin your career. I agree we could have called for help sooner but it was a tense situation and we did the best we could.”

She leaned on the desk, head in paw and sighed. He was right.

They finished the work and took it to Bogo’s office where the Chief made them sit down at his desk to go over it in person.

“And it says here that he admitted to it being made in the burrows, just like you said last night. Where in the burrows exactly?” 

Judy and Nick looked at one another and she offered, “He didn’t say. But Sir I’ve lived there my entire life, the local law enforcement knows me well. I think we should go there and try to see if they’ve noticed anything suspicious. Canvas the area and ask the locals. I’m sure everyone would be less than thrilled to find out a drug was being made in their town.”

Bogo nodded, “I’ll call over there and tell them you two will be arriving today. Don’t take control of the situation and make them feel like your overstepping your jurisdiction and doing their job for them. Help them find the guy and then assist them. We were able to cut the supply of the drug off last night because of the arrests that were due to your hard work, so he has no dealers. We finally have the upper hand.”

Judy saluted the Chief as did Nick and they were dismissed.

They were headed back to Bunnyburrow.


	22. You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time's up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im glad i apologized earlier for sporadic updates because thats the longest gap i have had between updates in a long time lol. honestly if you want to get a hold of me better, tumblr is the place. Same name. Progressoftomorrow.tumblr.com
> 
> ignore the grammar please haha....

“What exactly did the behavioral analyst have to say? Who should we be looking for?” Nick questioned from the driver seat of their loaner. They were nearing the burrows with every mile that passed, he could tell because of all the corn fields that stretched on for miles on either side of the road.

Judy sat beside him in the passenger seat with a pile of paper work in her lap. She was re-reading paragraphs from narcotics and finally found the page where it gave a description, of what they hoped, animal looked like.

“It says here they will be male, 20 to 35 years old. Highly educated but with failures in their background. Possible narcissistic behaviors. Basically he could be a number of people in the Bunnyburrows.” Judy sighed and rubbed her temple. 

“I hope the Chief’s phone call let them know how important this is. Sometimes the local law is slow.”

Nick glanced at her for a second then looked back at the road. A sign was coming up and it notified them that they were crossing over into the burrows.

“Did you call your parents? Or should we stay at a motel?” He asked innocently, no hidden agenda in his words. Although he couldn’t deny that if they weren’t allowed to get nice and personal at her parents’ house, he’d spring for a room in town.

“I did, when you stopped and got gas. They are happy of course and told me we don’t visit enough. Even though we were just here.” She was all business and went back to shuffling papers.

He chuckled, “We should visit more. I’m pretty fond of their house, especially the guest room.” Nick was being deliberately facetious now. 

Judy didn’t hear the smarmy tone and he pouted but continued on in silence.

Nick drove them through town, a few animals waving at them friendly, then the Hopps farm came into view. He turned the car down their road and followed the drive way to the front of the house. Bonnie Hopps came out to greet them and Nick was feeling a sprinkling of deja vu.

He turned off the car and that’s when Judy lifted her head, “Oh, were here already?” She got out of the car, with her multitude of papers and walked up to her mom on the porch while Nick shut the car off and grabbed their bag. 

They had shared one this time.

Bonnie hugged them both and they were hurried inside because the older bunny was worried about the weather. Before Nick went in he turned around and sure enough, dark clouds were floating in over the horizon. 

He walked in the house, assuming the guest bedroom was still his and placed the luggage in there. 

There was chatter down the hall and of course, everyone had met up in the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Hopps were there, along with a few smaller children and surprisingly enough, one of the sisters who had gotten married the last time they were there.

“You must be Nick.” She said, extending her arm. He realized it was Katherine because when she spun around to look at him he noticed her pregnant belly, he also smelled it but it would be impolite to say so.

He shook her paw and she told him, “I’m sorry we never got formally introduced at my wedding but you know how those things can be.” She was all smiles and there was a feature in her eyes she shared with Judy. 

They were siblings after all.

Nick made small talk but kept looking at where Judy had spread out their case file on the table. His partner was in full on cop mode and he excused himself to join her. He walked over to Judy and took some of the papers she wasn’t hovering over and sat down beside her and examined his share.

Katherine, having nothing better to do, sat down across from them and Mr. and Mrs. Hopps did as well. 

“Can you tell us about the case, Jude?” Her father inquired, but Judy didn’t answer.

Nick took over, “Well honestly, have any of you seen a new animal in town? Maybe acts like he is too good or looks suspicious?”

The three rabbits looked back and forth between each other then back to Nick and Bonnie said, “Not really? You could say old man Sheppard fits that description but he’s been around since I was a young kit.”

This wasn’t boding well for the cops in the kitchen.

“Looks like we have our work cut out for us, Carrots.” Nick directed at Judy, she was muttering now, but not at him. Katherine was the one who answered him.

“Carrots? Is that what you call my sister?”

She sounded annoyed and Nick felt like he had to offer an explanation.

“Yeah, I uh, well. It started out as a joke but kind of stuck.” He made a mental note not to call Judy her nickname while in the presence of her sister. Katherine had an eyebrow raised and was looking at him like he had three heads but she released her gaze and rubbed her stomach.

He cleared his throat nervously and Mrs. Hopps smiled at him, trying to comfort the fox.

Katherine asked her father something, breaking the uneasiness and Nick stuck his nose in his papers. He felt a paw on his leg and looked down at his lap. Judy had snuck a paw on his knee and patted it, then went right back to her reading.

At that moment, a horde of other siblings came rushing in the back door bringing a strong gust of wind that tickled his fur. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to focus with all the noise they were making. His paw drummed his claws idly on the paper he was trying to read. 

Judy latched on to it and brought it under the table to still him. 

How she was able to focus on her work and attend to him when it was important, at the same time, was something he would never be able to do. He went to put his paw on her thigh, in a non-sexual way when he heard Katherine make a noise across the table. 

Nick looked up at her and removed his paw.

She was expelling a protective vibe and he wondered if it was because of her pregnancy hormones. 

Mother’s wanted to save everyone, even new ones, it would seem.

The smell of rain reached his nose and he knew the storm clouds were breaching the property.

Judy stopped reading with a frustrated grunt and sat back in her chair.

“I really hope we get this guy soon. It’s giving me a headache trying to put a face to his crimes when I don’t even know what species I should be thinking of.” Judy had said this to Nick but her sister was listening.

“How long do you think it will take?” Katherine asked.

“Until we catch him.” Judy replied with a smile. She had begun gathering up the papers and replacing them in the folder. When they were neatly packed inside she put them down and scooted closer to Nick but he stayed still because her sister was still looking at them unapprovingly.

Which he didn’t understand. He probably never would.

Judy became aware of her and ignored her consternation with a question, “How are you feeling Kate? How are the kits?”

Katherine touched her stomach again, “I’m fine. We’re all fine. Doc says I have a litter of three but I swear there are more. Why else would I be so huge?” 

Judy snickered, “I’m glad. I can’t wait to see what they look like.” Her sister gave her a grin.

Another gust came in and with it the smell of blueberries. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. This farm was a godsend. 

Nick stopped smelling the wind when a familiar scent processed through his nose and he choked, coughing on nothing but air. Someone in the house was in heat.

“Here we go again.” He muttered out loud, rubbing his paw over his head. He didn’t mean to but he was almost annoyed by the biology of rabbits, like they were in a constant state of rut. If it affected his bunny they would never get this case wrapped up.

Judy, who shifted beside him, showed concern and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Random family members quieted and he realized they were listening just like Katherine was.

“Nothing, Judy. Don’t worry about it.”

And she didn’t. For now.

He sat in his seat as all the bunnies resumed their conversations and he heard Judy ask Katherine a question he wasn’t interested in. Fatigue was setting in and when he heard raindrops finally pelt the window in the kitchen, he yawned.

The farm outside disappeared under the wall of water falling from the sky. Nick excused himself and told Judy he was going to bed. Bonnie objected and requested he at least eat something, he only smiled and refused, saying he was more tired than hungry.

Judy watched him leave the kitchen and her parents and Katherine were all giving her looks. They varied from softness to trepidation.

“What?” Judy asked, bothered by their expressions.

Her mother, being the most innocent, said to her, “You both look exhausted. When is the last time you had a break?”

“Mom, were fine.” Judy sighed. 

“But Jude, when we spoke on the phone earlier, you said you’d been on this case for weeks. Have you slept at all?” Her father’s question was sincere and Judy softened. 

“Dad, thank you and yes we have! But I think Nick has the right idea. We should probably rest before tomorrow. We don’t know what will happen.” Judy replied, leaving her seat. She grabbed her folder off the table and Kathrine stopped her.

“Sleeping, hmm? Don’t forget to keep the door open.”

Her teasing had ruffled Judy’s fur and she stomped away.

When she got into the guest room Nick was on the bed, with his back to the door. He was taking deep breaths, only moving with the rise and fall of his lungs and she knew she was sleeping. Or trying to.

She set the folder on the dresser where he had put his phone and police badge. She took out her own phone and badge, putting them directly next to his. Her eyes travelled back to the door, which she left open just like her sister said.

Judy muttered lowly, barely whispering, “She sure can be a pill sometimes.”

A small tingling of realization sprang forward from the recesses of her mind and her eyes clouded over, hazy and unfocused.

Pill. 

The stupid case had made her forget.

They, she and Nick, rutted without protection and she didn’t have a Plan B pill. Her paws went to her forehead and she let out a small peep. He stirred from his place on the bed and she ran from there to lock herself in the bathroom.

Her head swirled and she looked at herself in the vanity mirror, fur was askew and her pupils were small, tears were carving trails down her cheeks and she wasn’t mad. 

Judy was scared. 

They had made a choice under the influence of Blue Moon to mate without thinking. She had told him they wouldn’t, not while they were still on this case, but they did.

There was no way to confirm a pregnancy this early on. Yet, he had filled her so completely that his spunk overflowed and ruined the pants to his blue suit and his knot took almost an hour to subside. If she wasn’t pregnant, it would be a miracle. 

The thought of their biology making it impossible for them to procreate in the first place also occurred to her, but that thought, had made her sad.

She didn’t know what she wanted.

And if she went into town tomorrow to buy another pill, Nick would be crushed.

Her knees wobbled and she lowered herself to the ground and sat on the tiled floor. A sob left her and she covered her face to hide it quickly and stifle the noise. The cries from her mouth became more vibrant and they shook her body because she wasn’t allowing them to make a fuss from her lips.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel until a picture of Nick warped from the darkness of her mind and she stopped heaving. 

In her imagination she saw him standing in blackness holding a parcel. His face was soft and admiration radiated off of him. In his folded arms she saw he was actually holding a bundle and it was moving. He was speaking softly to the heap cradled against him and the one thing that stood out the most was his face. 

She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but then his gaze lifted to hers and he said,

“Thank you.”

Judy blinked the rest of her tears out from her eyes and stared at the ground. She knew he wanted this, he had told her so himself. And she loved him, wanted him to be happy. Judy also knew he would protect her and provide for her.

She felt silly now, because it was still so early.

Time, she needed time. There was no use in worrying over it now. She was overreacting and she knew it.

But, her paws still dropped from her mouth to coast over her stomach where she assumed she would feel something. Where she wanted to feel something.

Judy sat like that on the ground of the bathroom for a few minutes then got up and washed her paws and splashed water on her cheeks. She wiped her face with a towel then headed back to the bedroom where Nick was now laying down facing the doorway.

His eyes opened when she neared the bed and he smiled at her lazily.

“Hey, where’d you go? I thought I heard you in here already, but I turned around and the room was empty.” Nick crowed through a yawn.

She didn’t say anything, she only crawled on the bed to lay beside him and press herself firmly against him. Her chin found his neck and she left her scent there gently. Nick leaned his head down and left his own savory odor on the space between her ears. 

He took a deep breath, smelling her fur and couldn’t help it when he sighed in relief.

“What is it?” She asked, her face buried in the thick fur on his neck. Judy had to pull the collar of his shirt down to accomplish this task and she was stretching it out, ruining it.

“Just making sure you’re not linking with whoever is in heat in this house. There were too many bunnies in the kitchen, I couldn’t tell.”

He took another whiff and smiled.

Judy snuggled closer to him, “It doesn’t always happen. It probably has something to do with you claiming me. Didn’t you say my scent merged with yours?”

He nodded and closed his eyes.

Her arms were bent at the elbow and her paws were holding on to his shirt. There was an awakening in her and she remembered what he said at her sister’s wedding way back when. He was the one who told her Katherine was pregnant by her scent alone.

If he could smell that change she was sure he would be able to tell now. However, she also knew it was only the day after their rutting, it was possible there was no change yet or at all. His paw went sleepily to her waist sending a shiver down her leg and forced her to break her train of thought. He uttered a goodnight to her, Judy told him the same and they drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Now I know what your Chief told me but I’m having a hard time believing that Bunnyburrow’s is housing some sort of master criminal.”

It was nearly 8am the following day and Nick and Judy had already made their way to the sheriff’s office in the middle of town. The Sheriff himself, Sr. Tom Woolard, was a burly sheep who had been the sheriff since Judy’s parents were young. He was looking at them analytically, his feet propped up on his desk and chewing on a piece of gum. 

The partners from Zootopia could feel his incredulity at the case presented to him. They knew as soon as they walked in the door.

“Sir, that’s just it. This place is perfect to hide in plain sight. Who’s going to think a drug manufacturer is setting up shop in the Burrows of all places?” Judy replied. The Sheriff kind of just raised his eyebrows and approved with a shrug.

“Well then how do you suppose we find him? Or her, we really can’t rule anything out can we?” The older sheep offered offhand. He wasn’t thrilled that someone was sullying the good name of his home.

Nick cleared his throat, “We were thinking of checking electrical records or maybe someone who you’ve seen growing too much Night Howler’s on their property?” 

“Son you want me to get a warrant for every farm here? That will never happen. I could get a subpoena for their power bills and how much they’re using but that could take weeks. How long did your Chief give you?”

Judy looked at Nick and then back at the Sheriff, “I guess until we get those papers, or if we find him before then.”

Sheriff Woolard removed his feet from the desk and stood up, adjusted his belt and walked over to the pair, “I admire your fortitude little lady. The faster you catch him the happier that will make me. Let me know if you need my assistance in anyway.”

He was walking past them and out the door. Judy called out, before he left, “Uh Sir, you want us in charge of this? We were told to let you take the lead.”

The sheep shook his head, “Sorry, but I don’t have the man power for it. Go ahead and take a radio and call me if you find anything. Right now I’m going to breakfast at Darla’s. Have a good day.”

Nick flicked his tail awkwardly and Judy reached over on the Sheriff’s desk to grab the radio like he said. She looked up at Nick and he made a face of apprehension.

“What should we do?” He asked.

Judy pouted her lips, “There aren’t that many farms around. We could drive by and look for anything suspicious. Or stake out the town. Whatever you’re up for is fine with me.”

He took the radio from her and clipped it to his pants.

“Let’s take a walk down Main St. and see where that takes us.”

She smiled and followed him out the door into the bright morning sun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

19 Days later and nothing.

No news. No subpoena back with their documents. And no Blue Moon manufacturer.

The town was always the same, always constantly laid back and dreamy. Picturesque in its hospitality and the friendly patronage of its people. 

Chief Bogo wasn’t happy and tomorrow they were headed back to Zootopia, a pair of failures, with their tails tucked between their legs.

Bogo had told them that since the club incident, there were no more sightings of the drug or any animals dying from it and that alone was good enough for him. He told them plainly that they must have scared off the supplier with that raid and all was well. 

Especially since the mammal wasn’t heard from in almost a month. 

Judy was angry and consider this her biggest failure in her career. She would be pinning over this for years, as she was now.

She was laying in the bed, next to Nick who was asleep and tried her best not to wake him.

It was the morning, a day before they had to leave, the sky was dark and she was frustrated. The quiet of the room, save for the sound of Nick breathing, was making her anxious but she tried to close her eyes and get at least 30 more minutes of rest.

Her ears became accustomed to the room’s silence and it helped to focus in on Nick’s heartbeat as well as her own. She was about to head into dream land when another slight thumping wiggled its way into her hearing and her eyes sprang open. 

Judy turned her head to listen but couldn’t pinpoint its location, but she kept hearing it. The sound felt as though it were coming from the walls. Then she would hear it closer to her and Nick and that theory was clearly busted.

She rolled out of the bed, deciding she’d have to start her day and grabbed some clothes and got dressed. There was no way she could get to sleep now anyways.

Nick made a noise as she left the room and she smiled at him, gently closing the door behind her.

The kitchen light was on and she walked in to see her mother, alone and humming over a cup of coffee with a newspaper spread out on the table in front of her.

“Wow Judy, you’re up before your father. You okay dear?”

Judy say down next to her mother, “I’ve been better.”

Bonnie placed a paw over Judy’s, which had found its way on top of the table, “This doesn’t mean you’re a bad cop. And I know you’re disappointed but tomorrow there will be more bad guys to catch and I know you’ll do your best, like you did with this case.”

She went on in telling her, “As far as I am concerned, you put the fear of the law into the loser who made the drug and he went into hiding. He probably left the country knowing you were coming after him.”

Judy chuckled politely and leaned back in the chair removing her paw from her mother’s grasp and laid it on her stomach.

Bonnie watched her carefully and asked, “Is something else bothering you? You don’t look well. Everything okay between you and Nick?”

“Me and him? We are peachy. I don’t know what else is bugging me. I guess, there was something I didn’t think I wanted and then I wanted it but it didn’t happen, so I really don’t know how to feel.”

“This isn’t about the case at all is it?”

Judy shook her head, “No. And I think that’s why I failed so badly in catching this guy. I let my personal life block my judgment on certain things and now I am suffering for it. Now me and Nick won’t get our detective badges and Bogo will probably put us on desk duty until the end of time.”

Her mother took a sip from her coffee and remarked thoughtfully, “You know that’s not true. But if you don’t mind me asking, what personal issue are you dealing with? Maybe I can help? I am your mom.”

Mrs. Hopps was comforting but Judy wasn’t sure she could have this conversation with her, so she phrased it in a way that wasn’t alarming.

“Okay Mom. Did you always know you wanted kids? Or was that apart of the settling plan with you and Dad?”

Bonnie tapped her chin, “It was more like we took whatever came our way. I know I always wanted children but your father was keen on running the farm singlehandedly. It wasn’t until he held your oldest brother in his arms that he asked for more kids. He became an emotional nut after that, cried about everything, from everyone’s first words to first steps. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone. Also, we never said having children was ‘settling.’”

Judy sighed.

“Judith, are you and Nick trying to have kits?”

She was now laughing timorously, losing all confidence. Bonnie’s stern gaze stopped the noise.

Her voice cracked as she said, “Yes and no. We made a decision to try after the case but we had an accident.”

“Accident?” Bonnie questioned.

“You know.” She made a motion with her paws to signify rutting but she ended up just waving her arms around. “It happened right before we got here and I guess the idea of being pregnant grew in me.” The use of the terrible pun made her wince.

Her mom was smiling, “Judy I never thought I would see the day. What you’re saying is that, you thought you were pregnant? Hon, it’s way too early to tell!”

“Not necessarily.” Judy said, wringing her paws in her lap. “Nick said that women give off a different smell when they are pregnant. And so far he hasn’t said anything.”

Without missing a beat Bonnie asked, “We’re you hoping he would?”

Judy looked at her mom and almost sobbed, “Yeah.”

Mrs. Hopps left her chair and wrapped Judy in a hug, “Sometimes these things take time. There’s no rush right? If you stress yourself out it’s less likely to stick. You have to relax.”

She pressed herself firmly into her mother’s embrace and nodded.

“Have you talked about this with him?”

“No. The stupid case is all we’ve talked about.” Judy breathed. That wasn’t all. There were a few times they had made out in the car and the bedroom but the overwhelming thought of their ‘stupid case’ was always on the forefront of their minds, killing the mood.

Bonnie let go of her and looked outside, “Well, the sun is coming up now. Why don’t you take the truck into town and go pick up some pastries from Gideon’s? It’ll distract you for a while.”

Mrs. Hopps went to the wall near the fridge and plucked the keys off their designated hook and handed them to Judy who took them and stood up from the table. 

She asked her mother to let Nick know where she was in case he woke up before she got back and went out the front door where the truck was parked.

It didn’t take long for her to get into town because of how early it was and she was able to park right outside of Gideon’s shop. He had a large window to show off various treats and also to see who was coming. 

They made eye contact as she turned the truck off and he waved from inside the building.

Judy opened the door to hop out of the vehicle when she heard footsteps approaching her.

“Hello Judy.”

She spun around to face the animal that greeted her and never expected it to be him.

“Oh, hello.” Judy offered cordially.


	23. End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding in plain sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some of yall knew who was coming but im thinking you arent expecting what i wrote but we'll see as always thanks for sticking with my terrible grammar. I try to catch it and lord knows I know the difference between theyre their and there but sometimes im writing so fast it slips oh well

The bed was small for him, but it felt empty without Judy in it. He couldn’t smell her which is why his eyes were opening against the blazing of the sun through the window, but he wasn’t worried, she had a knack for disappearing on him when they were on the farm.

Nick turned over on the mattress and noted that the door was closed, that didn’t stop the aroma of coffee from filtering in through the cracks. He sat up and stretched, preparing to get ready. As soon as he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt he left the room and headed for the kitchen to get a cup of his favorite beverage.

A few Hopps kids were eating breakfast at the table and Bonnie was doing dishes, a task that never seemed to end unless someone stepped in and took over for her.

He went up to the coffee pot and Mrs. Hopps cheerily gave him a good morning smile and stopped scrubbing long enough to grab him the creamer from the fridge. He poured it in his cup and sipped slowly on the hot java.

“Morning.” Nick offered to the matriarch, laughing at the kids eating at the table. One of them was putting the cereal up their nose. He sat down across from the younger bunnies and they giggled.

Judy’s mother set certain dishes to soak and turned around with a towel, wiping her paws on it.

“Sleep well?” She asked. Her tone had an inkling, later he would say it had a smidgen of hostility and he was afraid to answer.

“Y-yes ma’am?”

“That’s good.” The older rabbit threw the towel over her shoulder and sat in the only available seat, which was right next to him. She smiled at the kids and they stopped fooling around and took their bowls to the sink. 

With one look her children obeyed her and cleaned up after themselves.

“That was amazing. Think you could teach me?” Nick laughed.

“What? For when you have children?”

He snorted, not in a joking way, spilling some of his coffee onto the table and Bonnie expertly wiped the liquid with the towel she had brought with her. 

“I was thinking it would help more with when I arrest people, but yeah I guess it would be a nice skill to have when I do have kids.” He pulled on his t-shirt to keep his paw from fidgeting on the table.

“You mean when you and Judy have kids.”

His voice raised to an unmanly pitch and he said a little too loudly, “Of course!”

Mrs. Hopps face became resolute and she folded her paws together. What she was trying to say was caught on her tongue but with a burst of air from her mouth she looked at him square in the eyes.

“Judy said she was hoping she was pregnant so, I hope you intended on having kits with her.”

He stood up suddenly and screamed, “What?! Where is she?!” He went to run, to wherever Judy was but her mother caught him by the wrist. He snapped his head back at her, a look of shock and wonder clear as day on his face.

Softly, she told him, “Wait Nick, she also said she didn’t think so because you didn’t smell it on her?” It came out as a question because as a bunny, these attributes were something only other animals understood.

His body slacked and he relaxed back into his chair, “It’s not always full proof. And with all the rabbits that live here, some being in heat and Katherine being pregnant, I can’t really say that I’ve been able to smell her properly.”

She released his wrist when she knew he wouldn’t bolt again and said, “You can smell all that?”

He nervously replied, “The longer the nose, the better the sense is.”

Bonnie’s body went still and she stared at him, “Wait, you said you could smell someone in heat? That’s strange, usually siblings always link up with each other. And Judy hasn’t this time?”

Nick shook his head.

A few moments of silence passed and she gasped, “Oh my goodness! Judy might actually be pregnant. If she didn’t sync up with her sibling, then it is highly possible!” Bonnie was shaking and a smile formed on her mouth, her cheeks swelled over her eyes.

Nick was standing again.

“Where is she?!”

Bonnie laughed and excitedly exclaimed, “I sent her into town some time ago! She should be back any minute, just wait!”

His head shook furiously, “I can’t!” 

He left her giggling in the kitchen to grab the keys and his phone then he ran out the door, jumping over a few small bunnies. His paws shook as he got in the car and he tried to turn over the ignition in several failed attempts.

When he finally got the car on he left the Hopps farm as fast and as safety as he could. It didn’t take him long to get to town and he was practically bouncing in his seat looking for her. He scanned the sidewalks and street but only saw the Hopps farm truck, which he knew she had driven there, so he parked next to it.

He clambered out of his car and nearly dropped his phone to look in the truck but she wasn’t there. His head turned quickly from side to side hoping to see her in a store window but he didn’t so he tried calling her.

She didn’t answer and he ended up sending a text instead.

After she didn’t reply right away he saw that he was in front of Gideon’s shop and ran in hastily.

The younger, more rotund fox jumped when Nick opened the door with a loud bang. 

“Gideon, sorry to bother you. Have you seen Judy at all?” Nick asked. He was breathing heavily and his eagerness filled the room, thankfully no customers were inside.

“I saw her a might bit earlier. She was talking to that Hopkins boy.” Gideon answered, returning to the display of pies he was setting out.

“Did you see where she went? The truck is still outside, did she say anything to you?”

Gideon noted the urgency in his voice and made sure all his attention was given back to Nick, “She didn’t come inside. Although I did see her leave with him. She didn’t look too happy about it either. I figured it was an issue with the farm or something.”

“What do you mean she left with him? Does she know him?”

Mr. Grey nodded and offered, “Well he knows the family to some extent. He was at her sister’s wedding after all. And he went up to her, they talked and then Judy walked away and he followed.”

Nick was perplexed, none of this was making any sense. Why would she leave with him? Maybe he had an emergency?

Gideon could tell he was confused and told him, “He lives just off Burrow Blvd, just outside of town. It’s the farm with all the corn, you can’t miss it. He probably had an issue with vandals and wanted her to see it. We’ve all noticed you two working with the Sheriff and since he takes him forever to do anything, he probably thought Judy could actually get something done.”

Wilde bit his lower lip and nodded aimlessly at the other fox. His gut was telling him something was off and he wished what Gideon had said would be true but he trusted his gut more.

He thanked him then left the shop and jumped back in his car to drive down the road to Burrow Blvd just like he had been told. 

When he pulled up to the farm the field of corn towered over his vehicle and a foreboding feeling drowned him and he turned the car down the driveway. 

It led to an old farm house, paint chipping and in dire need of sprucing up. He turned the car off and tried to call her one more time from there but she didn’t answer again.

Nick stepped out and cautiously made his way to the front door of the house. He walked up the steps of the porch and as his paw raised to knock he saw that the door was ajar. Probable cause gave him all the permission he needed to enter the house and when he did Judy’s scent filled his nose.

She had been there.

But she hadn’t been alone. 

A familiar smell mixed with hers and it was threatening and desperate.

The house, what he assumed was once a family home because of the old photos on the walls, was empty and dust covered the furniture. He tip toed in and foolishly called out for her but his voice only echoed in the front room.

Nick walked further in and his tail swept the debris to the side as he made his way through the trail of foot prints left in the dirt on the floor boards. There wasn’t a sign of a struggle which was uncharacteristic of Judy Hopps and his stomach lurched.

He checked all the rooms, there were only three and went to the back door of the house. As he walked through the doorway an old porch swing groaned as a breeze pushed it gently, startling him. 

For one last time, he tried calling her phone.

It rang through the speaker but in the distance he heard an indistinct noise that reverberated from out of the corn fields and he lowered the phone to his side. His paw clicked the screen on the cell to call it again so he could follow the sound.

Surprisingly, for what looked like an abandoned house, the fields of corn were well taken care of. 

Except, as he neared the ringing of the unanswered phone, the stocks were becoming sparse and more sporadic. His phone paused before he pushed re-dial and he heard voices ahead. 

They were garbled so he moved in closer. 

The corn parted and he saw an expanse of land shrouded by the tall plants around him. An outline of a rabbit appeared, standing next to a pile of crates at least the height of the corn and length of two cars.

He went to call out Judy’s name but the figure turned and he saw that it wasn’t her. It was the bunny he met at the wedding, the one who left his scent on Judy’s paw.

Chance Hopkins, the rabbit with the white fur and despondent scent.

Nick moved in closer, hidden by the field of produce and watched carefully. He didn’t see Judy yet, he couldn’t risk making a mistake like leaving his hiding spot, but because he put himself nearer to them he could hear her voice along with Chance’s.

“I wonder how many times he’ll call you before he gets the hint.”

Judy replied from somewhere behind the crates, “Can you please let me answer the phone. I want him to know I am okay. Your problem is with me.”

Chance laughed, “He’s your partner and this has everything to do with him. How astute is he anyways? Are we going to be waiting all day or what?”

Judy remained silent and Chance didn’t like that. He punched the crates revealing his temper.

“You don’t have anything to say? Speak up or the first thing he sees when he finally shows up is going to be you with a fat lip.”

Judy’s temper flared and she responded hotly.

“Why does he have to be involved? You said it yourself that I am your problem so leave him out of this!”

Chance disappeared behind the crates and Nick assumed it was to threaten her but he heard a struggle and his heart pounded in his chest. 

He heard Judy yelp and he blanked out.

His jaw went slack and he breathed deeply through his mouth as his lips curled into a snarl. A growl erupted from his chest and all at once he was running towards the clearing. He was fifteen feet from the crates when Judy screamed.

“Nick, stop! Don’t come any closer!”

The only thing that did was slow his gait to a speed walk and he rounded the corner to see her on the ground with Chance standing over her. What he saw next were rows and rows of Night Howler flowers, way too many for pesticide purposes, they were their own unique crop. 

This is why she yelled for him to stop.

Judy stared intensely at Nick but his eyes were on the male rabbit who spun around at his arrival.

“Take one more step fox and you’ll regret it.” He flicked his eyes back at Judy for a millisecond then said with a grin on his face, “I’m impressed. How did you know he was here already?” His paw was held out in front of him to dissuade Nick from moving any further.

She would never reveal that she heard Nick faintly when he entered the corn field so she said, “He’s my partner.”

“What and that means you have telekinesis?” 

Chance had turned his head to say that to her and Nick took that opportunity to take a few steps closer, but the male rabbit snapped his head back in his direction.

“Fox I told you to not to take another step!” Chance screamed. His voiced travelled across the field and he crouched down and made Judy stand, never taking his eyes off of Wilde.

Nick growled, flexing his claws as his lip curled baring his teeth. Seeing his paws on her had him seeing red. 

He had to protect her, his instincts demanded it.

Judy noticed Nick’s fur was starting to hackle and stuttered, “T-tell me why you’re doing this. What exactly do you want?” She was looking back and forth between the males in a frenzy. The buck hadn’t released her but the grip from his paw on her arm was enough to make her concerned, he kept squeezing tighter.

Then the next moment he left her go.

Nick took another step and this time it was Judy who warned him.

“Don’t, please Nick. Stay where you are. He’s unstable.”

Chance laughed maniacally then barked, “I’m unstable? Me? You think a person could do what I did and be unstable? Do you have any idea what I’ve done?!”

It was a standoff and Chance laughed again.

“Do you think you two are actually good cops? That you got this far all on your own? You wouldn’t have even known it was me making the drug unless I didn’t approach you today.”

“What are you talking about?!” Nick roared, he was getting sick of talking and he still couldn’t be next to Judy which frustrated him.

Chance pointed a finger at Nick, “You think you two were actually undercover at that club that night? Zootopia’s first rabbit and fox officer? Are you really that imbecilic? Like I didn’t, oh I don’t know, make sure that nephew of the crime boss would lead you straight to me? I made sure Mr. Big followed the trail there because I knew once you too were unable to find me on your own you’d go to him. The only thing that went wrong that night was you two were supposed to kill each other when my assistant gave you the drug.”

The angry buck took a breath and blasted further, “I was there, watching, but when my drug failed and you two just sat there I knew more drastic measures had to be done. Thankfully I left before the police raid and came back to the burrows to wait, again, for you two.”

Judy clenched her fists and shook.

“None of this makes sense! Everything you did was for what? To set us up? Animals died because of what you created! Why are you doing this?!” She heaved as rage rumbled in her chest. 

Chance never took his eyes off Nick to reply sarcastically, “I just don’t like you Judith Hopps. I wanted you to look incompetent and let me tell you it wasn’t hard. When I saw you at your sister’s wedding I knew you could be manipulated with your emotions and your job. Especially with how the fox reacted the first time I met him and you.”

She blinked rapidly and swayed where she stood.

“W-what have I ever done to you? We never even played as kits!”

He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, “You think you’re the only rabbit who wanted to be something when they left this forsaken town? You robbed me of my glory. I was supposed to be some bunny, I had dreams and you stole them from me.”

As soon as he finished saying that it confirmed Judy’s theory of mental unstableness. 

She tried to remember her academy training when dealing with this type of situation but she knew it would be too risky to start evasive maneuvers around so many Night Howler’s with how potent they were.

The next step would be empathy. 

If she could get him to feel an ounce of regret or compassion he might let them go or drop his guard long enough for him to make a mistake, which they could then take advantage of.

Judy let out a shaky breath, “Look Chance, I want you to know I am sorry for what you think I did. But my only goal in life was to be a cop and make the world a better place. It wasn’t easy and I have had to work very hard to be where I am today. I never once did it to be ‘some bunny.’ The biggest reason I wanted to become a cop is because I wanted to do something good for all animals.”

He didn’t flinch or even move a muscle. All his attention was on her partner who had bent over in preparation to charge. A growl accompanied by a short yell came from Nick as he was trying to intimidate the smaller animal but the white rabbit smirked.

“I am not afraid of you fox. Just try me. You may be bigger but I have these.”

He stuck his paw in his pants pocket and pulled out a mass of the Blue Moon pills.

Nick’s ears flattened on his head and he whined. 

Chance chortled, “Not so tough now are you? I know you saw what these things can do. They can give prey the power to take down predators.” He took a few pills out of his palm with his other paw and rolled them between his fingers, mocking him.

He brought the pills up to his mouth all the while keeping Nick in his eyesight.

“I wonder what two or three pills at the same time would do?”

He paused, the pills almost touching his lips.

“You know something? It’s funny. I made these, but never took them. I guess now is better than never, as they say. It’s not like I intended on any of us leaving here alive anyways.”

They were just about to be digested by the buck when Judy rejected the empathy plan and kicked his knees out from under him and sprinted towards Nick. She heard the white rabbit fall, cursing expletives behind her, but she didn’t look back. 

Judy ran and Nick met her halfway.

He grabbed her by the shoulder and rummaged through his pocket to hand her the keys for their vehicle. 

With shaking paws he implored earnestly, “Get to the car and lock yourself inside!”

“I’m not going if you aren’t!”

Nick clenched her shoulder and closed his eyes, fighting back his emptions that were threatening to control him.

“He’s trying to kill you Judy I have to protect you and the-.”

She took his paw off her, silencing him and held it while giving him a half smile. Her mouth formed the word ‘no’ but then Nick was shoving her out of the way as Chance ran up to them swinging a paw at her head. He missed because of Nick’s quick reaction and instead his paw collided with Wilde’s chest and they all fell to the ground, several feet their only separation. 

The wind had been knocked out of Nick but he was still able to react when Chance got up and went for Judy a second time. He grabbed the buck by his leg and swung him around, throwing him across the clearing.

Unfortunately he landed in the crop of Night Howlers, destroying the flowers as he skidded across the dirt.

Nick coughed and stood up to retrieve Judy who was trying to stand. He grabbed her and held her bridal style and darted into the corn the same way he came. They were weaving and running over the tall plants when Judy shouted,

“Did you see him take the pills?”

“Judy I don’t think that matters! Did you see where I threw him?!”

She didn’t say anything as a response and Nick’s screamed four words.

Get to the car!

He cleared the corn and was closing in on the house when Judy’s ears picked up on another pair of footsteps. She lifted herself in his arms to look over his shoulder to see Chance bursting through the tall plants.

“Run faster Nick he’s coming!”

He held Judy closer and pushed his legs harder and it created enough time for him to reach the car and put her inside it on the passenger seat. Before she could object he threw his phone at her, slammed the door and told her to lock it, demanding she call the Sheriff.

Judy didn’t and objected by slamming her paws against the window but he had already turned his back on her to prepare himself for the white rabbit that was running at full speed towards them, enraged on aggressive primal instincts.

They had no tranquilizer and no hope of rescue and she watched helplessly as Chance rammed into Nick, tackling him to the ground.

She opened the car door and ran to his aide but he screamed at her to stay back as the buck swiped at anything he could get his paws on. But then hitting Nick wasn’t good enough so he turned around attacked Judy.

Judy held up her arms to protect her neck and face. He ended up kicking her straight in the chest and she fell to the ground in shock.

Nick growled, his anger and fear controlling him as he screamed. 

He grabbed Chance, who was distracted with taunting Judy and locked the buck’s arms behind him, pushing him to the ground. The male rabbit’s head hit the gravel too hard and his body went limp as he passed out.

Wilde felt Chance go slack and let him go to crawl over to Judy who was curled up trying to breathe.

“Are you okay?”

She squinted up at him the same time she felt his claws hoist her into his embrace. But she stepped away clutching her abdomen, to go to the car.

“What are you doing, Judy? Just stop for a moment.” His voice cracked and an anxious tremor rippled through him.

She opened the door, “We don’t have time to spare. I have to get your phone and something to cuff him with.”

He watched at her locate his phone on the seat then sift through the glove compartment for a zip-tie. She handed the makeshift handcuffs to him and he made sure the buck was restrained with them. Nick went back to her just as she hung up with the Sheriff and grabbed her once more to hug her. He placed his nose on the space between her ears on the top of her head and breathed her in. 

A sob convulsed in his throat when he realized he could smell her uneasiness and stress. Most importantly he could smell her body and the pregnancy pheromones that he was unable to decipher before and he wept.

“Shhh, Nick. What’s wrong, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” She was rubbing small circles on his back and chinning his shirt.

He shook his head then pulled her back to kiss her. 

Nick drew away from her and said, “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what I would have done if he hurt you really bad or the pup. What if he killed you?”

Judy scoffed, “And what if he killed you? Nick he didn’t that’s the main thing so just-.” She stopped because she processed his previous sentence.

“What do you mean pup?”

He laughed, “It’s not an exact science but you’re the only female here and your scent is telling me you’re pregnant.”

“I-Its not too early to tell?” She stuttered. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I’ve been a nut case waiting for morning sickness or any kind of sign.”

Nick hugged her again, “Because of the same thing I told your mom today. There were too many scents this time, with one sibling being in heat and your sister Katherine being pregnant herself, I just couldn’t confirm it.”

She clenched his shirt in her paws, “If I had known that I never would have went with him. He came up to me and asked me if I wanted to see where he makes the drug. I was so focused on getting a confession from him I didn’t care that he was leading us both into a trap. Nick I am so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, Judy. He’s the wrong one here not you.”

A squad car pulled up the driveway no sooner after he said that and the Sheriff got out and they gave him the rundown.

They never let go of each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The next day they were back in Zootopia. Their lives as cops were never concrete and never ceasing and they both knew they had reports to write no matter how sore they were and Bogo would have to be briefed on the situation as well.

Nick and Judy were sitting in his office, sharing a chair as their Chief raised his eyebrows at them from behind his glasses.

“You’re telling me this entire ordeal was to get at you Hopps?” Bogo scoffed rubbing his temples. “What kind of animal would do such a thing?”

Judy, who was back in her uniform blues along with Nick bit her lip and looked uncertain, “Sir, he isn’t well. I’m sure he’ll plead insanity when he goes to trial. He needs help.”

Leave it to Judy to have mercy and feel bad that the buck had a mental breakdown.

“He attacked two of my officers, we’ll make sure he goes away for a long time, no matter what he pleads. But I shouldn’t be calling you officers now should I? I’m pretty sure I have two detectives sitting in front of me.”

Bogo went in his desk drawer and pulled out two cases and slid them over to the pair.

Nick reached forward and picked them both up. He opened one and it was a detective shield bearing his name, etched in the metal. The second case he gave to Judy but she clenched it in her paws for a moment then put it back on the desk.

“I’m not sure I deserve this, Sir. He was right. We only found him because he wanted us to and it doesn’t feel like I earned this.”

Nick went to disagree but Bogo was faster.

“Hopps, he said those things to make you feel like a bad cop, which you aren’t. Don’t let him in your head. He’s the criminal, not you. Sometimes these kinds of animals know how to play a better game at hide and seek than we do but at the end of the day he’s in a cell and you’re still alive so I think that makes you a perfect detective.”

The Chief stood up and handed her new shield to her personally and she finally accepted it with a sigh.

He sat back down in his chair and cleared his throat, “There are a few things we need to discuss as well. The case is over but I still want my statements by the end of the day. You’ll be required to have mandatory Psych Sessions as per regulation from Internal Affairs and I want you both to at least take two weeks off before returning to work because you both look like hell.”

Nick and Judy laughed halfheartedly and he went to dismiss them when Nick held up a claw.

“Sir, there’s one more thing.”

Bogo held out his hooves urging the fox to continue and Nick looked at Judy then back at his boss.

“Judy, well she uhh, might have to be reassigned when we come back from leave.”

“What are you talking about Wilde?”

Nick smiled and Judy answered instead.

“Well Sir, I’m having a kit, or a pup. We’re not completely sure, we might as well call it a ‘kup.’ But we’ll know more once I go to a specialist doctor.”

Chief Bogo stood up again and let out an exasperated sigh, “I thought I told you both to not let your relationship interfere with your job?” He walked from behind his desk and went to his door signaling he was quite done talking to them.

Judy’s ears drooped and she jumped off the chair carrying the case with her shield in it. Nick did the same and his tail twitched anxiously.

They felt like apologizing until the Chief smiled at them and said, “I’m joking, congratulations. Now get out of here! But finish my paperwork first!” He shut the door on them like always and they laughed as they walked away.

The future was a mystery, but they knew as long as they were together that they would be able to handle anything.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

This might be something none of you want to hear but I am ending the story here. 

Its up to you to imagine the possibilities and maybe I will write an epilogue but right now I want to leave it like this. There’s a few ways this could go but ultimately I think I have put them through enough drama!!

I sincerely thank everyone for reading this and I am still overwhelmed and AMAZED at the response this story has gotten. I never would have thought that people would like something I had written. I am very insecure when it comes to these things but my heart is full knowing so many people enjoyed what started off as a drabble.

Thank you for following me along on this journey!

If I have any more ideas I want to write for this couple I surely will but for now I’m working on a Wildehopps Civil War AU comic which I post on my tumblr.

Please remember!

I am always more readily available on that website, feel free to say yo and I’ll be like whats up?

www.Progressoftomorrow.tumblr.com


	24. Epilogue Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its an epilogue? just read it LOL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here I am when I said I WOULDN'T FOR AWHILE
> 
> sorry if this isnt what you wanted pfffffffft how is it not? IM JOKING
> 
> SORRY FOR THE WEIRD SPACING????? RICH TEXT EDITOR MADE IT QUITE WEIRD

It was rushed and it was hastily thrown together, but there was another wedding in the Bunnybuurows five days after Nick and Judy handed in their statements on the Blue Moon Case. Guests were arriving in trickles and a majority of them were travelling in from Zootopia on the train or carpooling together.

 

Nick was in the guest room, his own personal nook now and he was putting the final touches on his outfit which was a pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt. He wrapped a tie around his neck and his claws fumbled so he turned around in the room and beckoned his mother to help him.

 

Her own paws deftly folded the fabric with expertise and soon enough she was fitting it firmly against his neck.

 

She patted his shoulders, tears falling from her eyes to her wide smile and left the room to go help Mrs. Hopps in any way she could.

 

He looked in the mirror again to assess his outfit when a deep voice from the bed interrupted his thoughts.

 

“Man you just going to let the bunny hustle you until the end of time aren’t you?” Finnick complained as he picked at the lint off his own shirt. He wasn’t a mammal that liked marriage, even getting him to come to the wedding was an ordeal.

 

“It’s not a hustle. It’s the rest of my life.”

 

“You’re such a sap.”

 

Nick snapped his head in the smaller fox’s direction, “What’s wrong? You sad that daddy’s getting married?”

 

Finnick laughed, “You ain’t my daddy. Don’t make me beat you down an hour before you walk down the aisle. They’ll think you got cold feet of something if you don’t show up.”

 

“Hardy har har. Now get going. All your mushy talk is going to make me emotional.”

 

The fennec fox climbed off the bed and sucker punched Nick before he left the room. Nick shook his head lovingly as his friend left the room and took one last look at his reflection before he left himself.

 

He walked down to the basement and straight to Judy’s room, she was only using it to get ready and uncharacteristically knocked before entering. She gave a call for whoever was at the door to come in and when he stepped through doorway she huffed and folded her arms over her chest.

 

“It’s bad luck to see me before the ceremony!”

 

His eyes were taking her in, appreciating her wedding gown which was only a white floor length dress. It fit every curve on her body and hung on her with small spaghetti straps that connected to a sweetheart neckline.

 

The dress itself wasn’t very formal, but it was hot outside so comfort came first.

 

“I already saw you today. We woke up together remember?” He expressed and held out his paws to show that he really didn’t care.

 

Judy tapped her foot in frustration then turned her back on him to finish her light makeup in the mirror. When she did that she revealed to him how low the back dipped on her frame, it stopped right above her tail. He couldn’t help himself as he slid up behind her to run a claw down her exposed back.

 

“Don’t distract me slick, I’m almost done.”

 

Nick didn’t adhere to her warning and now two claws were making random designs in her fur.

 

She applied the last bit of mascara and spun around to chastise him but he was prepared. He kissed her, making her forget what she was going to say. He was gifted in making her lose her train of thought.

 

The kiss was sweet at first, their lips pampering and pattering politely against each other. Then he opened his mouth and suddenly he was licking her lips which parted for him instantly. He darted his tongue out and lightly grazed hers, she moaned but her own noise broke her concentration.

 

She pushed him back and said, “Wait, we have to go soon. Don’t get me all worked up.”

 

“I already am worked up.” He replied huskily.

 

Nick pressed himself flush against her and her back hit the dresser softly. The fabric of her dress and his pants couldn’t hide the girth growing between them.

 

She moaned, “You’re kidding, right?” Judy’s eyes were half closed but she was trying to stay in control.

 

“I’m not apologizing. There’s something about you carrying my pup and this dress that makes me want you even more. Not to mention all your siblings are gone.”

 

Judy bit her lip then licked them in succession, “But all those animals waiting outside?”

 

He bent down and marked her with his scent on the space between her brows and whined. The next thing he did was moan directly into her ear with a hot puff of air that sent a shiver straight to her core.

 

She groaned pitifully and stomped away from him to lock the door. He had thought she was trying to leave and followed closely behind her, cornering her against the door. Nick pushed onto her again and she felt her knees weaken as her back landed on the wall, her paw clicked the lock into place with a jerk.

 

They stared heatedly at one another until Judy breathed, “At least take my dress of first. And if you mess up my makeup I will hurt you.”

 

He nodded and leaned down to lift the hem of her dress.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Guests were mingling, most of the locals had never seen bigger mammals like the ones invited from the ZPD and for a long time the lateness of the bride and groom went unnoticed.

 

Their parents, Mrs. Wilde and Mr. and Mrs. Hopps were the first to rouse suspicion.

 

“I saw Nicky go downstairs not too long ago, I wonder if something happened? Maybe Judy got sick?” Mrs. Wilde offered nervously.

 

Bonnie nodded up at her and touched her husband’s shoulder, “Why don’t you go check. You have to give her away and you can’t walk her down the aisle if she isn’t here.” He nodded and made his way into the house.

 

“I’m sure Judy is fine, we Hopps girls are pretty resilient when it comes to pregnancies.” Bonnie declared while watching Stu enter the back door.

 

Mrs. Wilde winced, “But the pup is half fox and when I was pregnant with Nicholas I had it pretty rough. I was on bed rest for most of it.”

 

They both looked distraught and hurriedly walked towards the house when Mr. Hopps albeit broke the door down to get outside.

 

“What’s wrong dear? Is Judy okay?” Bonnie gasped.

 

Mrs. Wilde asked immediately after her, “Where’s Nick?”

 

He had a look of horror on his muzzle and his lips quivered. He rubbed his eyes and pulled on his ears.

 

“Cheese and crackers. She was and he is.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  


 

 

Stu Hopps couldn’t spit it out because Nick had been snug deep inside Judy when he went down into the basement. He didn’t see anything but the noises he heard the fox making behind the bedroom door were enough to make him run away.

 

“Did you hear that?” Judy panted. Nick had cried out because she made him stop thrusting.

 

She raised an eyebrow at his tantrum and squeezed her pelvic muscles around the hardness inside her causing him to buck. He retaliated by rubbing one of his knuckles on her clit.

 

They both shuddered.

 

“Never mind, keep going.” Judy demanded.

 

He obliged and pulled out and slipped back into her heat timidly, afraid she would stop him again.

 

When she told him to remove her dress before, he finally listened to her and did just that. Along with his pants.

 

Although the bed isn’t where they ended up.

 

Nick, after taking off his shirt he was so meticulous with and unbuttoning and dropping his pants, picked her up to rut with her against the wall. He had his paws propped up on either side of her. She gripped his forearms for stability and rode him, not fully understanding her need until he slipped into her the first time with no problem. She tried to deny herself when he touched her but he felt no resistance with his beginning thrust because she had been wet and waiting.

 

After that she was a quaking mess as he touched her core and made her come.

 

She always came more quickly than him but it gave her the opportunity to watch him when he lost control and she liked that power.

 

It made her feel like she was the predator.

 

Judy was apparently moving too much for his liking, her back sliding up and down the wall with each roll of his hips so he put one paw under her arm and the other held her down on her shoulder. The new formation not only helped him but her as well. She felt another rise swelling in her heat and her hips plunged in rhythm with his.

 

“Don’t stop, Nick. Please? Yes, oh please.” Judy whispered, craving his climax.

 

He yelped and whined, her hoarse words increased his knot to a bulb and she shimmied further on him. Judy was trying to drive him wild and it was working.

 

She closed her eyes and focused on his length, attempting to squeeze his ending out of him when he went still after one last rigorous thrust. He slipped into her all the way down to the hilt and shuddered as the knot locked him inside.

 

The first surge of creamy spunk spilled in her and she cried out for him to bite her.

 

Which he did.

 

He claimed her clavicle with his mouth and teeth as she moaned arching her chest and stomach on him.

 

After the second surge of come he let her go and kissed her hotly.

 

Nick and Judy would be over an hour late to their own wedding.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

End of epilogue part 1.

 

 Part 2 coming someday. Does this pleases yous precious? Im terrible. I didn’t give you the wedding I just gave you more smut OH WELL. Theyre 'eventually' married huzzah.

 

 

Heres some nsfw art for this chapter because I have no soul

 

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Don’t keep scrolling if you don’t want to see NSFW

 


	25. Epilogue Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last time I updated this was in late June of last year (2016). On July 7, 2016 my father was killed. 
> 
> So this story and all the comments I received went unread and ignored. Which they still are as of today and I apologize but I really cant take or adhere to criticisms because I am emotionally unbalanced so here here I am. Someday I will read them.
> 
> I wrote this 2nd epilogue on my tumblr about a month ago and I realized I should add it here.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and appreciating my writing.
> 
> I am sorry its so short
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
>  
> 
> <3

“Do you want to know whats worse than the food in this place?”Nick asked with a tremor in his voice.

His question hung in the air in between her practiced breaths and the beeping of the monitor beside her hospital bed. And when she didn’t answer him he continued.

“I’d have to say the worst thing about this place is that we can’t leave.”

Judy glanced at her husband in the chair next to her and wanted to roll her eyes but she was too exhausted. To be fair she had been in labor for the past eight hours waiting for her doctor to give the go ahead for her C-section but her body was confused at the half fox and half rabbit inside her. 

And to think her own mother could give birth to a litter in as little as two hours…

“Nick, I have to actually have our kit before we even think abo–.”

She was interrupted with a contraction and her eyes scrunched in discomfort. The epidural was doing it’s job of alleviating her pain but the pressure remained.

Her husband, her best friend and partner on the police force stood up and folded his arms over his chest. He was overly cautious and extremely nervous as any new father would be but as for Judy she felt a certain peace. 

The contraction ebbed away and she looked at Nick. A smile she couldn’t keep away spread over her muzzle and she pursed her lips to stifle the laugh she wanted to release.

“I love you, you know.” Judy stated as a giggle managed to escape.

He leaned over her bed and touched his claw to her cheek. His thumb rubbed at the soft fur and he smiled.

Unfortunately, as her inter-species birth specialist surmised months prior, there were some complications. Things that Nick wouldn’t wish on anyone.

Judy wasn’t able to remain responsive during the c-section and she passed out just as their pup was born into this world. From his spot near the head of her bed, a divider blocking his view of the surgeon with his gloved paws inside Judy’s stomach, her paw which had been gripping his went limp.

The youngling, taking heavily after its mother except for its longer snout, tail and peach tinted fur was swept away from the womb before Nick could even choke on his relief. He was stuck for a few terrifying moments not knowing what to do when a cry finally burst out of the kit from across the room.

Judy’s eyes twitched at the noise and re-opened.

He didn’t notice until he heard her.

“Ni-Nick, where? What’s happening?” 

He returned his attention to her and kissed her repeatedly on the forehead and then the lips.

“Judy? You scared me! You passed out.”

Her instincts to coddle the newborn she could hear and not see made her uneasy and she almost attempted to sit up in her bed but Nick’s affection kept her grounded to that sterile hospital bed.

“Where is he? She? Nick why can’t I see our kit?”

Just as he was about to answer, a nurse smiling widely walked over holding a bundle which was expressing its anger at being born into the world.

“Say hi to your son, Mom and Dad.”

“Ohh..” Judy stammered unexpectedly. A rush of euphoria consumed her as the pup was laid over her chest into her ready arms. Nick leaned over her shoulder and a sob riddled with happiness shook his jaw.

Moments passed of their shared closeness until Judy, from her awkward laid down position, brought their sons head close to hers and marked his cheek with her scent as her mother had done not too long ago. 

He was her son.

Nick hovered close to his wife and child, marveling through his tears that something that small was his.

His son. 

He watched her place her scent gently on the kit and felt his heart throb when she turned her head to him and shifted the tiny baby carefully towards his own snout.

Judy nodded, encouraging him to do the same and he carefully marked his own scent on the other side of his face.


End file.
